Friends, Enemies and Newids
by muentiger
Summary: Cora. Smart, stubborn and powerful, more than she knows. She is one of few, a legend from a world she thought never existed. What could be wrong with holding all the power to the world? Saving the world isn't as easy as it looks, especially when you don't know who you're fighting. AU
1. The Beginning

**Okay, then. So I'm new at writing Fanfics, and this is my very first story, so I'm really hoping for some good feedback. Please review, even if you don't like it- it helps improve the story as I go along. I promise to post another Chapter for every 2 reviews I get (at least in the beginning). Thank you guys soooo much.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the world of Harry Potter, however all of the added characters are mine. Most funny lines I can attribute to my awesome friends in MD and CT (I 3 u guys). **

**I hope you enjoy it! **

"Where to, Miss?" asked the cabbie, after loading Cora's things into the trunk.

"King's Cross," Cora replied, a smile crossing her lips. This all seemed so surreal, the whole idea of being a witch.

She recalled her letter arriving at her house a few days ago, carried by the large owl that her mom had tried to beat away with a broom. She had bursted with pride upon reading the letter, written in emerald ink on heavy parchment. Of course, her mother had then begun to immediately make plans while her father simply mumbled from the couch. Cora couldn't hold it against him, after all, she hadn't been wanted by him. However, after going through seven forced abortions over five years, her mom had put her foot down. As far as anyone knew, no in her family was a wizard, so she would become the first...

The cabbie's racking cough brought Cora's mind back to reality: he had been holding the door for her. Before entering the cab, Cora turned and looked up at her empty apartment. Her mom had already left to work, but Cora waved goodbye in any case-it didn't feel right not to.

"Not planning anything rash, I hope?" the cabbie joked, a malicious twinkle in his eyes.

"Hell no!" Cora grimaced, "My parents are simply too busy to send me off. I go to a boarding school, far away, see?" she explained as she entered the taxi.

The cabbie sauntered into the driver's seat and started the car. It was old, and Cora could detect the smell of stale alcohol and cheap cigarettes. She rolled down the window to let in some air.

"So, boarding school, eh? That's rather exciting! Where is it?" the cabbie asked, in a failed attempt to make casual conversation.

"You know, I don't quite know. But, judging from the uniforms, it's rather far north," Cora chuckled lightly, as she recalled a brief scene in which her mother fell over with the weight of her brand new wool robes.

"Uhh, cool. Hey, do you mind if I turn on the radio? Jack FM's got an MCR and Muse marathon running all day.." the cab driver glanced at her in the back seat, his eyes wide and pleading. Cora spotted his earring.

"Sure, why not? I love Muse, " Cora said, shrugging. She wasn't in the mood for Muse today, but she was too busy rifling through the contents of her bag to care.

"Awesome!" the cabbie exclaimed, as "Hysteria" began blasting through the speakers.

Suddenly, a loud hoot came out from under the cover of Cora's birdcage. "Shhh, Theseus," soothed Cora, feeding him a small piece of half-melted Snickers.

"Looks like your bird likes Muse too!" the cabbie yelled over the loud bass, drumming on the dashboard.

_Idiot, _Cora thought, _he'd seem so much cooler if he weren't trying to act all tough. _Rolling her eyes, she continued digging in her bag.

Finally, she found it, jammed between her money purse and a sweater. Her favorite book. "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban." Her bright eyes glowed with the idea that Dumbledore was real, and that J.K. Rowling was a witch, frowned upon or not.

During her trip to Diagon Alley (she loved it there), Cora had entered Flourish and Blotts, only to be greeted by a giant stack of books, all bearing JK Rowling's face. At first, she was excited, thinking that it was a biography, but as she sat down to read it, she realized it was, indeed a biographical text, but one meant to trash and not to inform.

According to the author, Mariame Bellot, J.K. Rowling was a Seer, and the books were merely fictional documentations of her "visions". Still, after having leaked their world to Muggles, she was shunned by society for risking their discovery, even though no Muggle believed the stories to be true. The books' setting was based on fact, though, a fact that Cora had found most helpful. She sighed as she opened the book to a random page and began reading, glad for having a reason not to talk to the cabbie.

They arrived at King's Cross fifteen minutes later and Cora gathered the fee, while the cabbie loaded all her belongings onto a trolley. Cora handed him fourteen pounds and thanked him for the ride before wheeling the trolley into the station. As she entered the domed hall, she stopped for a minute to buy a salami sandwich and look at the stained glass dome. When she sat on the bench, she tentatively placed her hand in the back pocket of her ripped jeans to make sure her ticket was still there. It was real, this was happening...

Theseus began hooting indignantly after a while, tired of staying under a dark cover. "Shh, boy. A while longer," Cora tried to whisper, but found that it came out slightly louder. When he wouldn't stop hooting, she shook her head and packed her sandwich in her backpack, to save for later. While she pushed the cart towards the platform, she didn't notice the gangly teenager who had begun to follow her stealthily.

"Platform 9 and 3/4. Damn, where is it?" Cora cursed nervously at the clock. She had 13 minutes left.

"You know, you could try asking for help. I've found it to be quite useful in most cases," a rough voice said behind her. She turned violently, causing her to stumble and fall over the shoelaces of her black hi-tops. _Curse my stupid, non-existent coordination, _she thought to herself. The stranger merely snorted and extended a big hand.

"I'm Aidan," he said, helping her gently to her feet.

"Cora," she replied, blushing deeply. _Shit, _she thought, _I don't even __like__ this dude and I'm blushing! _

"So, do you want to get on the Platform, or not?" he asked, trying not to laugh.

"Sure, why not?" Cora shrugged, brushing her hand against her black hoodie.

"Sweet...well, from what my parents told me, the Platform is between 9 and 10," Aidan nodded, stuttering over his words.

"No shit, Sherlock," Cora smiled sympathetically. She loathed having this effect on people. It happened quite often, and she didn't understand it. And she hated it. Big time.

"Hey, I was just trying to help, okay? You looked seriously lost. But if you're gonna be like THAT, then you can forget it!" he yelled, pushing his cart towards the Platforms.

"Wait!" she called, pushing her cart to him. He stopped, and looked at her angrily, a furious gleam in his eyes. Cora hesitated, terror flooding through her. His eyes were cold and irate, and his face was flushed in furious anger. She pushed the thought aside, and forced herself to look directly at him.

"I'm sorry, Aidan. I'm new to all of this, and I've got no idea what the hell I'm doing. Plus, you kinda pissed me off, 'cause you made me trip, and all." Her eyes fell to her feet as Aidan stood there, stunned. After several seconds, she raised her eyes as she heard the sound of laughter. He was laughing, his arm supporting his large figure against the wall.

"Shut up!" Cora said, but she started laughing herself. They laughed until they were out of breath, and Aidan slumped on a bench exhausted.

"Crap!" yelled Cora suddenly, looking at the clock, "We've got 7 minutes left!"

Once they reached Platforms 9 and 10, Aidan stopped his trolley, and pointed to an empty wall.

" We've got to run into that wall! No fear, just as fast as you can."

"Are you barking mad? According to Newton's first law of motion..." Cora exclaimed, her face even paler than usual. She felt sick, this went against all scientific rules!

"Yeah? Well, Newton wasn't a wizard. Come on, I'll go first," Aidan retorted, a crazy smile on his face as he swiveled the trolley around and ran into the wall. Wait, not into, but through it! _It's an optical illusion, it's gotta be, _Cora thought as she gripped the cart and began running.

Her heart began racing as she saw the approaching brick wall. Cora closed her eyes, picturing the scene as she lay there, bones broken, the trolley having smashed into her, breaking countless ribs. All of a sudden, she felt something reach deep into her stomach and pull her to the other side of an airless barrier. Her eyes blinked as she took in the grand sight on the other end: a sprawling, old train station serving only one train, laying, ready, in the center tracks: the scarlet Hogwarts Express.


	2. Paraxene

**A/N: Thank you to SkyeElf for reviewing the first chapter. I read it over again, and honestly, this one is MUCH better. In case anyone is wondering, this is set in the world of Harry Potter, with only of the most essential characters, such as Hagrid traversing into my story. The others are original. This chapter is dedicated to my two L's- Leanna and Laura. You guys are the best :P!**

**Disclaimer: see 1****st**** chapter**

The train stood in its tracks, gleaming as though it was new. Students were hanging from the windows to greet their friends and wave goodbye to their parents. Cora's eyes swiveled around, looking from the vendors to the luggage cart, searching for Aidan. He wasn't anywhere to be found.

The sound of the chimney blowing jostled her, and she sped towards the luggage compartment, where an attendant in long black robes was waiting with a long list.

"Name?" she asked, peering over her glasses.

"Cora Rattigan," Cora replied, anxious to get on in time.

"What do you plan on taking into the compartment?" the attendant demanded, checking off her name on the list and pulling out a long, thin wand.

"Just the black rucksack and the birdcage," Cora answered. _What the hell is this woman planning to do to my stuff?_

"Step aside, please," the woman instructed, clearing her throat. "Nomenate!" she enunciated, waving her wand over the luggage. Cora watched in awe as red labels with her name appeared out of nowhere, sticking to her trunk.

"You should hurry into a compartment, dear, the train will be departing soon," the lady advised, her emerald eyes wide and kind.

Cora nodded mutely and stepped, smiling, onto the scarlet train.

The corridor was filled with students searching for their friends and teachers or prefects moving the kids into compartments. She hurriedly looked for an empty compartment, and found one, near the middle of the train. Without further ado, she pulled her bag and cage into the small compartment and hoisted them on the rack above the seats. As she turned around, she noticed the large window that showed the Platform: families were yelling last minute reminders and handing forgotten items. Cora felt a sob rise into her throat, as she thought of her mum. _I'm really going to miss her, _she thought, wiping the tears that had stuck to her lashes with the sleeve of her hoodie. _Thank God I don't wear makeup!_

All of a sudden, she heard a knock on the door and a petite girl around Cora's age stuck her head in.

"Do you mind if I stay here? Everywhere else is full," she asked, tentatively, in a quiet and high-pitched voice. She sounded like a small child.

"I'd welcome the company! Come on in! I'm Cora," she grinned, helping her drag a trunk twice the size of the girl into the compartment and onto the rack.

"Avery. But everyone calls me Aves," she replied, smiling shyly as she sat on the chair.

Cora now noticed how skinny she was, like a skeleton with very little flesh. She had large, hazel eyes and blindingly red hair that reached her shoulders. Her fingers were very long compared to her hands and she had pointy ears, to the point where her green fedora sported holes on each side. Despite her shy demeanor, Avery seemed to have relaxed and she pulled off her jacket to reveal a "Black Veil Brides" t-shirt, which clashed with her bright, checkered leggings.

Suddenly, they heard the loud blare of the train horn, and the train began pulling out of the station, and into a farmed landscape.

_Surely we're not in London anymore_, Cora thought, _we must be farther north._

"Are you a first year?" Cora asked to break the awkward silence, after several minutes.

Avery laughed, a high and melodic laugh that mimicked Cora's favorite wind chimes.

"Sorry, Avery," Cora blushed and hid her face in her hands.

"No, really, it's fine," Avery, "I know how short and child-like I am. Can't help I'm half-elf, though. So, to answer your question, I am a first year. But please, call me Aves!"

"Okay, Aves. Wait a sec, you're half ELF?" Cora almost shouted, amazed, "But how can you be a witch, then?"

"My dad is an elf, and my mom is a witch. When such crossbreeding occurs between our species, it's up to the family to decide for the child which side they are to favor, magically speaking. Then, at the age of 5, the tribal elders perform a secret ceremony on the eve of their birthdays. Since I am a twin, my brother was chosen to be the next elf-chief of our tribe, and I'm to be the witch. Oh, and the whole child thing goes away on my 14th birthday," Aves explained, gesturing with her hands wildly as she spoke.

"That is so cool," Cora gasped, her eyes wide in awe, "So can your twin do ANY magic?"

"He can do very little. But he doesn't mind it. Rhain's always been the more aggressive type, he hates books," she laughed lightly, rolling her eyes.

"I don't think we would get along well. I couldn't LIVE without books," Cora shook her head.

"Me neither!" Aves exclaimed and they smiled at each other.

Cora was about to reply, when a loud bang against the door interrupted her. This time around, it was Aidan, clutching a backpack in one hand and a cage in the other. Aves and Cora glanced at each other, and we both stood up to help him through the doors. Cora grabbed the backpack and cage, while Aves held the door open. Cora lifted his stuff onto the rack and sat back down, next to the window. Panting, he entered the compartment and huffed loudly, as he collapsed on the seat next to Aves.

"Sorry I got lost. But I took a wrong turn somewhere."

"It's fine," Cora answered, laughing loudly along with Aves at the sight of him, his blond salt and pepper hair plastered to his face and his haughty features sheepish.

"Aidan, this is Avery."

"Call me Aves, please," Aves smiled, and waved happily.

"You a midget, or just naturally that short?" Aidan asked, arrogant all of a sudden.

"Aidan!" Cora gasped, punching his arm. It hurt her more than it hurt him.

"It's all right, Cora," Aves turned to Aidan, her eyes narrowed dangerously, "For your information, I am half-elf. If you don't believe me, look for yourself." She took off her hat to reveal her pointy ears.

"Oh, sorry," he looked down at his feet, ashamed.

"That's quite all right," Aves replied, patting his hand.

A sudden hoot interrupted their reverie, and Cora uncovered her birdcage to reveal a sleek, black-blue owl. She had named him Theseus, after the hero of her favorite Greek myth.

"Wow," Aves gasped, "He's beautiful!"

"Thanks," Cora smiled shyly, but decided to change the subject. She hated when people stared at him. What houses do you guys want to get sorted into?" she asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"I'd quite like to be a Ravenclaw," Aves mused, "Where those of wit will find their kind."

Cora smiled. _She's the typical Ravenclaw, wise and centered._

Aidan snorted and turned to her, "Why on earth would you want to be a Ravenclaw? They're just a bunch of smart-ass prats! For me, no house can beat Slytherin. Where only the cunning will achieve their ends.

Cora shook her head in disbelief. It was obvious that they either hated each other to the core, or really liked each other. Personally, she believed the latter to be the most likely.

"I think I'd rather be a prat any day than a double-crosser," Aves replied, her voice angry.

Cora raised a hesitant eyebrow. Aves was her first real friend in this world, and she was already proving to be quite feisty for her size.

"Well, my personal preference is Gryffindor, where the brave dwell at heart," Cora interjected, as Aidan looked beyond murderous. She smiled inwardly, recalling when she had first begun to read the books.

"In any case, it doesn't matter. What I want to know is, are you guys paraxenes?" Aidan asked, his face suddenly brightening.

"What's a paraxene?" Cora asked. She regretted this immediately. Aidan and Aves began staring at her quizzically. "Come on, I'm muggle-born, remember?"

"Still, Cora. It's quite unusual for someone not to know. Even though they aren't extremely common, they make up over a third of the population. And those are just the powerful ones…"Aves replied, her voice low.

"Cool it, Ave-opedia," Aidan leaned back and sighed, "Paraxenes are witches or wizards with powers beyond the normal realm. The Ministry has classifications for all paraxenes, depending on what their power is. Most people have only subtle powers, but my dad knows a paraxene who is impermeable to dragon fire!"

"Okay, how do know if you're a paraxene?" Cora asked, eager to know more. Paraxenes weren't mentioned in any of the Harry Potter books, probably due to Ministry red tape.

"Usually your powers reveal themselves. Sometime around your 13th birthday. However, for some, their powers aren't fully revealed until you have great need for them," Aves explained, her voice kind.

"I'm gonna take a wild guess, and say that you guys are paraxenes, right?" Cora asked, her face smug, as their faces lit up. She made a mental note to go to the Hogwarts Library first chance she got, and do some research.

"I can talk to animals. Speaking of which, Theseus says thank you for the Snickers™, but he prefers Cockroach Cluster," Aves said softly, smiling sheepishly, "It's a Honeydukes sweet."

"Ummm, okay. That's cool," Cora replied, taken aback.

"Well, what do YOU do, Aidan?" Aves asked, her voice trying.

"I'm only a Class 3. Class 7's the highest you can go. Watch this!" he exclaimed. They watched his face go blank. All of a sudden, their belongings began floating upwards, as though gravity didn't exist. Aves didn't seem bothered at all by this. Instead, she poked the items gently to witness their mid-air chain reaction.

"Aidan, where are you?" Cora asked, trembling, as she stood in the compartment. She hated not having control of anything. She moved to the center of the compartment and began waving her hands to find him. She gave up after a minute and just stood there, afraid.

"Right here, love," Cora heard him whisper into her ear, as she felt two big hands descend onto her shoulders.

**A/N: How'd I do, this time around? Please review, even if it's just flames, I take them all to heart. Next chapter will probably go up on the weekend or mid-next week.**


	3. Hogwarts Station

**A/N: Thank you so much to SkyeElf for reviewing, you're soo awesome for keeping up with this. This chapter is a long one, and I decided to experiment with different POV's, so please be patient. I'd appreciate any and ALL feedback, and there are several parallels/similarities between this and HP, at least more than usual. This chapter is for my brother. Happy Birthday, little bro, HUGS! Lots of twists in this one so, read on!**

Aidan's POV

She whirled around at my words. "Aidan, show yourself!" Cora yelled, her voice dangerous.

I sidestepped her easily and sat down to get a better view of her. Her hair fell in near-perfect curls around her pale, heart-shaped face. They were a rich brown that reminded me of chocolate and caramel and contrasted with her soft, delicate features. Despite her old black hi-tops, torn jeans and simple black hoodie, she looked more beautiful than any other girl I had ever seen in my life. I knew my father would never approve, not to mention my grandfather, but all those worries melted away when I saw her eyes. They were of the most intense blue, like the color of the warmest sea. _We're just too different_, I thought, _but what the bloody hell can I do? _ I looked into her eyes, and froze.

They weren't warm anymore, no. Now they were dark and fathomless, reminiscent of the coldest depths of the sea. They were the eyes of pure rage, and I lost my concentration.

The items dropped from mid-air and fell on the floor. I watched stupidly as my hands began to reappear and Cora rounded on me, pushing me against the wall.

"Don't you EVER call me that again, do you understand me?" she whispered furiously, her wand pressing up against my jaw.

I decided to take the joking, nonchalant approach.

"Come on. It was just a joke. And it's not like you know any spells that can seriously damage me," I guffawed, pushing her away from me.

Big mistake.

At first, she simply stood there, breathing heavily. Aves sensed her distress and hurried over to her, but Cora pushed her away. I could hear her mind working furiously, so I leaned forward.

"Hey, listen-" I began, but she cut me off with a hand.

"Aidan, I don't know what your deal is, honestly, but as I see it, you have two choices," Aves said, her voice calm and reconciliating. Typical Ravenclaw. Trying to solve everyone's problems…

"You can either get your ass the hell out of this compartment, or you can apologize for what you did and said, and stay. Quietly," she finished, with a smirk on her face.

Then Cora turned around and I saw her face. Her eyes were wet, but she had let no tears spill over. Now her eyes were a murky grey color, like indecisive clouds on a rainy afternoon.

"I'm sorry. I was a git. Please forgive me," I breathed, holding my arms out. She hesitated for several seconds before burying her face in my chest.

I really liked her, and I couldn't hurt her anymore.

Shit, this year would be hard. She obviously didn't like me like that, but Slytherin was my favorite for a reason.

He will use any means to achieve his ends.

Cora's POV

I pulled away from his hug quickly. _Damn it all, Cora, it's been 3 years and you still haven't learned_, my inner voice said. Its name was Bob.

3 years ago, guys in general began to turn into total idiots around me. Three years have passed, and I still don't understand why it happens. I wasn't part-veela, because I was muggle-born, and thanks to Aves and Aidan, I know that I can't be a paraxene. So what the hell was it that made me screw with guys' minds like that? I'm not pretty, no; I'm the biggest nerd you've ever bloody seen. I hated it, and I hated myself for it.

I liked Aidan, I really did, but as nothing more than friends. I had always wanted a big brother.

"Shall we sit back down?" Aves asked, her voice tentative.

I noticed that we had all been standing for the past couple minutes, with Aves standing by the door, her hand through her hair. Aidan's tall frame took up the left side of the compartment, by the window, with his big hands in his jeans pockets. His hair was messy, and sticking out in every direction. _Just like Harry…_

"Let's," I answered, a grin reappearing on my face.

"Ummm, Cora. Your eyes," Aidan said, glancing nervously at Aves.

"Yes, Aidan. Those are eyes, what about them?" I laughed at the blank look on his face.

"They changed color, Cora," Aves replied, suddenly as enraptured as Aidan was.

"What? Come on, you guys. I'm not stupid," I rolled my eyes as I collapsed on my seat, placing my wand on the armrest next to me. But I stole a glance in the window, only to notice that they were right. My irises were darker on the outside now, and lighter on the inside. I shook this thought away and turned back.

"Sit down, I'm fine," I said, my eyes desperate. They glanced at each other, and shrugged before they sat down.

"What's your wand made of, Cora?" Aves asked, pulling her own out of the brim of her hat.

"Ebony and Phoenix feather, fifteen inches. Powerful and protective, according to Ollivander," I bragged. I loved my wand. It was dark and twisted elegantly.

"What about you, Aves?"

She jumped in her seat, she had been immersed in my wand. Her wand rolled of the seat, but stopped mid-air.

"Thanks, Aidan," she said grudgingly, snatching her wand back, "Willow and Unicorn Hair, fourteen inches. Enchanting and Springy," Aves smiled knowingly, it fit her perfectly. I gently picked it up to take a closer look: hers had extremely delicate wooden vines weaving around it. I handed it back to Aves several seconds later, she seemed quite uncomfortable without it.

"Aidan?" I asked, my eyebrows raised.

"Yew and Dragon Heartstring, thirteen and one-half inches. Impulsive and Unyielding," he looked down. At first glance, it looked quite simple, but it had intricate engravings around the handle.

"That sounds like a good wand, right, Aves?" I asked, seeing his face.

"Oh, sod off!" Aidan exclaimed, shoving me away, laughingly.

And we laughed until our worries faded away.

Normal POV

"Trolley? Anything from the trolley, dears?" the attendant pushed her cart past the door. They stood up to gather their moneybags and step out of the trolley. The plump attendant however, was already attending to someone else.

"I'll take a couple of chocolate frogs, please," the boy said, glancing up. He wore thin glasses, which covered his light blue eyes. The group watched as they darted from Aidan, to Aves and then rested on Cora. He stared at her oddly for several seconds, before shaking his head rapidly.

"Here you go, dearie," the attendant said, handing him 2 Chocolate Frogs and a Knut.

Her voice seemed to startle him, and he snatched the Frogs, before turning around abruptly and storming off in the other direction, his long, blond hair behind him.

"That was awkward," Aves whispered into Aidan's ear, and he snorted, before stepping forward to look at the trolley.

"I'll take a liquorice wand and a…. pack of Drooble's," he decided, holding out several large coins, then ducking pack into the compartment with his purchases.

"I think I'll just take a Pumpkin Pasty," Aves shrugged, holding out several Sickles and grabbing a pasty before heading into the compartment herself. "You comin', Cora?" she asked, a light smile on her face.

"One sec, Aves. I'll take… a pack of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and some Cockroach Cluster, if you have any," Cora asked, a sheepish grin plastered across her face.

"That'll be a Galleon and Seven Sickles, please, dear," the attendant handed her 2 boxes and counted the money carefully before smiling genially and continuing through the hallway.

They entered the compartment together only to find Aidan sitting, with a Quidditch magazine in his hands and half a liquorice wand sticking out of his mouth.

Aves turned confusedly to Cora before erupting in a silent fit of laughter.

"Whadzit?" Aidan asked, looking dazedly from the page.

"Nothing," Cora responded, "It's getting dark. We'll be there soon, so let's change into our robes."

"Right," Aves responded, before climbing onto the chairs to reach her trunk. She reached into it and threw them over her shoulder. They flew swiftly down from her trunk and onto Cora's head.

"Hey!" she exclaimed, as they hit her head.

"Sorry," Aves responded, grinning evilly. She laid down her wand and slipped swiftly into her robes, which looked huge despite the fact they were probably the smallest size possible.

Instead of bothering with his wand, Aidan simply stared at his backpack for a while, and his robes floated gently, as though lifted by an invisible cloud.

Cora opened her backpack without magic to retrieve her robes. She could feel their eyes on her back, but she didn't care. She hadn't come to learn magic so that she would never have to do anything; she had come to learn even more. She slipped gently into her heavy robes and returned to her meal without saying anything.

She'd show them all. Cora Alice Rattigan was no dimwit.

The train pulled up at Hogsmeade Station not much later, and a frenzy of students began making their way off the train. Afraid of being trampled, Aves decided to go last, right behind Aidan, who had egotistically volunteered to fly their objects to the luggage area. Cora led the way, but even she had no idea where she was going until she heard it.

"Firs' years! Firs' years, this way!"

Cora gasped as she heard the voice, just as she'd imagined it. She ran forward eagerly, pulling Aidan and Aves behind her. They stopped as they saw the towering figure at the end of Hogsmeade Station, holding an old oil lamp.

"Hagrid!" Cora yelled, without thinking. The gigantic man glanced down before smiling kindly.

"That'll be me. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of the Keys an' Grounds 'ere at 'Ogwarts," he laughed and held out his hand, " "An' you are?"

"Cora Rattigan," she replied shaking his hand, "Oh, and this is Aidan and Avery. We're all first years…"

"No need to say 'ny more. We'll be off in a couple minutes. Could you watch Fang in the meantime? He gets real lonely," he asked, his eyes pleading.

"Eww, no! Sir, with all due respect, we're here to study, not dog-sit!" Aidan recoiled, disgusted.

Hagrid's eyes narrowed in anger, but Cora intervened and replied, "Have it you way then, Aidan," before turning with Aves to where Fang was drooling silently. Aidan watched disbelievingly as she sat down next to Fang and pet his fur, while Aves began to _talk_ to him.

"I like her," Hagrid said cheerily.

"Oh shut up," Aidan said, looking away.

"For the record, sonny, it's, 'shut up _Professor_,' now," Hagrid retorted, before raising his voice to belt out the final call for the first years.

Cora's POV

We gathered around Hagrid nervously, awaiting further instructions. I decided to scan the crowd in my spare time and I found him: the boy in glasses from the trolley. _He looked at me differently, _I thought, _not all bloody insane. _ I shook the thought out of my head and focused on Hagrid, who was fiddling nervously with a pile of flash cards.

"Uhh, right. Welcom' firs' years, to yer new home fer the next year: Hogwarts. We will begin by proceedin' to the boots- I mean, boats-, which will take ya to the castle where you will be sorted into yer houses. Follow me!"

Hagrid turned and began walking up a path, that seemed to lead to the lake, and we followed after a couple of seconds. Aves was on my right, looking extremely serene, despite the eeriness of the scene. Aidan was on my left, however, and not doing as well: he kept tripping over the roots with his big feet, nearly falling over onto his face. Finally, we reached the lake, whose waves were rolling as nervously as my stomach.

"Do you think we'll see the giant squid? I've heard he's quite amiable…" Aves said, out of the blue.

"I hope not," I replied, my stomach churning like a cauldron.

"'Kay then, all. Get on the boats, but no more th'n 4 to a boat. Quickly, now, we don't got much time," Hagrid yelled, and we all began to flood into the boats. Aves, Aidan and I filed quickly into the nearest boat, with Aidan in the front, holding a lamp. Last to enter was, just my luck, the boy from the trolley, who looked extremely unwilling to be here. Aves and I smiled kindly, but his eyes were focused on the stars, as though he was wondering how they shined so brightly. My heart began beating hardly into my trachea, but I shook it off. _I can't like this guy, remember what happened last time! _

I cleared my head and focused on the stars the rest of the way. Surprisingly enough, the lake was, suddenly, extraordinarily calm, and we arrived at the doors only minutes later. Hagrid turned around, smiled genially at us, then knocked 3 times on the heavy door.

The doors to Hogwarts opened, and we began our journey into its halls.

**A/N: How'd I do? Personally, I think it went on for too much, but that's the way it is. Please review, as always I appreciate anything and everything, plus the deluxe chance to get mention in my A/N. Yayz! I will post a poll, because I'm conflicted on an Aidan issue...he's just soo complex! Next chapter will be long, but on the bright side, Sorting and Dorms! From all perspectives!**


	4. The Sorting

**A/N: Thank you to SkyeElf and im-the-doctor for reviewing the last chapter; I honestly didn't think Aidan would have a fan-club. Avery is my favorite, at least at this point, but Cora is most like me so, I might be biased. The title of this chapter says it all, and I have a couple of surprises and twists here, though I have no idea where they will lead me to. They may be the end of me. Sigh. 3-part POV, and it's pretty long, but it's really good, I promise. Please read and then vote on the poll, found on my profile. I'm totally conflicted because of Aidan's reception. This chapter is dedicated to all my friends who are included in this chapter, as well as those who aren't. if you aren't, that means that I'm yet to find a character to embody your awesomeness. :P**

Disclaimer: See first.

Aves' POV

We entered the Hogwarts entryway amongst many gasps of wonder. If you looked directly up, you would see a hundred stone staircases moving in all directions and connecting all passages. A multitude of moving paintings were staring at us kindly, and giving us random snippets of advice. I smiled as I thought of the Led Zeppelin song, "Stairway to Heaven," and how it applied to this setting. I loved the song, and Led Zeppelin in general, but that song in particular simply FIT this castle. My eyes browsed the crowd in search of Aidan. He was an ass; that much was true, but he had his moments. It seemed that Cora had a weird effect on him, so I decided to consult my books for any information on emotes – paraxenes who screwed with people's emotions. She didn't do it intentionally, of that I was certain. Cora was the kindest person I knew, and her aura radiated compassion and empathy. My elf senses never lied.

Hagrid escorted us into an empty classroom, and instructed us to wait for a couple of seconds. Aidan had decided to make random objects fly around the room, for the sake of seeing them crash into people's heads. Cora was demanding that he stop, but even she was caught up in something, or more accurately, someone. The boy with glasses from the train. He was quite handsome, I suppose, but he really wasn't my type. The boy was more of the hot nerd type, with long, bright blonde hair and blue eyes obstructed by thin, wire-frame glasses. He was about half a head taller than Cora, and quite lanky, but with wiry muscles that looked worn-out. I jumped as the door opened to reveal a teacher dressed in emerald robes. She was the youngest teacher I had ever seen, but her eyes looked as though they had seen more than enough. Oddly enough, her hair was long and she had decided to simply let it down. She didn't look like a teacher; she looked like a young actress.

"Welcome, students, to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In a few moments, you will follow me into the Great Hall, where you will be sorted into your houses. There are 4 houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. Your houses will be like your family. After you are sorted, you are to QUIETLY join your housemates for dinner, after which your house prefects shall lead you to your dorms. For those of you wondering, your belongings will have already made their way to where they belong by that time," she dictated in a sharp voice. It was obvious that we were not to cross her.

"Tomorrow, you will meet with your heads of house, who will give you your schedules and discuss any further course options. If you are to be a Slytherin, I'm sure Professor Snape will see to it," she continued, when Cora gasped. Her eyes were wide and her mouth kept forming the words, "Snape?" I focused my attention back on the Professor. "As a Ravenclaw, Prof. Macnamara will be your head, and as a Hufflepuff, Prof. Parraga will see to you. I am Professor Andersonn, the Head of Gryffindor house and your deputy Headmistress. Now, line up, single-file, so we may proceed into the Great Hall."

"Excuse me?" I asked, raising my hand as high as I could.

"Yes?" she demanded, raising an eyebrow.

"Sorry, ma'am, but you haven't told us what subject you teach," I looked down. _Stupid bloody nerdiness. I need to know everything, don't I! _

Prof. Andersonn, however, smiled kindly at me and replied, "I teach Defense against the Dark Arts."

I nodded and got back in line with the rest of the crowd.

We entered the Great Hall only minutes later and began the procession to the front of the room. I looked around nervously at the upperclassmen ogling us like animals at a zoo.

"Hey, Aves, look!" Cora nudged me and pointed at the ceiling. It looked like the starry night from outside, and there were candles levitating above the tables for light. I looked around for any food, and was disappointed to find there wasn't any. I groaned as I thought of food, and what in particular I wanted to eat right now: baby back ribs. _Sigh, I'm such an American Redneck!_

We gathered in the front of the room, around a rather batty and worn out hat: The Hogwarts Sorting Hat. I had read about it in, "Hogwarts, A History," only a day ago. According to popular legend, it had belonged to Godric Gryffindor, who charmed it to create an unbiased way to sort students into their houses. Suddenly, I realized how little of us there were, less than 150 first-years. My stage fright kicked in and my heart began beating like an earthquake threatening to crack my chest open. Cora seemed to sense my spazz-out, and she placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. Professor Andersonn stepped onto the elevated platform, which bore the stool and Sorting Hat.

All of a sudden, the brim on the Sorting Hat ripped and it began to sing, in a voice reminiscient of James Earl Jones.

"_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can top them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a steady mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!_

The hall erupted in laughter and applause while I stared wonderingly at the hat. _I want that hat! Imagine knowing everything!_

I shook the thought away and focused on the Professor, who stood patiently, waiting.

She unraveled a long piece of parchment and read off the first name.

"Alquist, Justin!"

A short boy with carefully spiked hair sat on the stool and placed the hat gently on his hair.

"Hufflepuff!" the hat yelled, and the Hufflepuff table burst into cheers as they pounded him on the back.

"Carmicheal, Alec!"

The gothic boy stepped forward angrily and only placed the hat on his head for a second when it yelled,

"Slytherin!"

My eyes followed him to the table. He looked embarrassed, if anything to be there.

"Carmicheal, Isabella!"

A tall, black girl stepped forward, sweeping her long braids out of her face. She was the twin of her brother, but they couldn't look more different. Despite her wide eyes, she looked arrogant and unfriendly, so it was not surprising when the hat yelled,

"Slytherin!"

She smiled evilly and sauntered over to the table, every bit aware that half the room was staring at her. They wouldn't for long, though.

"Dracul, Alexandreiana!"

A statuesque girl stepped forward elegantly and placed the hat on her head. They were total opposites, where there had been hate in the previous girls' eyes, there was compassion in hers.

"Gryffindor!"

She hurried to the roaring Gryffindor table with a sheepish look on her face, and looked down in shame.

"Evanson, Sam!"

He stepped forward and got sorted into Ravenclaw, where he was met by rousing cheers. I drowned out the rest of the Sorting until it was close to my name; I had gotten _Saints of Los Angeles _by Mötley Crüe stuck in my head.

"Kayser, William!"

This time, it was the boy with glasses who was to get sorted. The Sorting Hat was conflicted, it seemed, because it took a full minute before he was sorted into,

"Gryffindor!"

He hurried and sat down next to the statuesque girl, who simply smiled, and then went back to checking her reflection in her plate.

"McGee, Avery!"

It was my turn. Cora squeezed my arm encouragingly and I began walking forward. As I sat down on the stool, I noticed Aidan giving me a thumbs-up and I grinned before the hat covered my eyes. And then it began speaking. In my head.

"_Wow, this is some mind you have. I see a brilliant future, but also a side that you keep secret. And that side is dangerous, perhaps too dangerous…"_

"_Trust me, it's under control," I thought._

"_That I know. And you're also kind and brave. But your intelligence outshines the rest. Use it wisely. I've seen too many great minds get clouded over the years…"_

"Ravenclaw!" it yelled and I ripped the hat off. I ran to the table and sat down, my smile spreading from ear to ear.

_The hat knows too much! He knows my secret! _

But not even that could bother me now.

Cora's POV

I clapped loudly as Avery danced to her seat. She was the perfect Ravenclaw: all-knowing and centered. I was sad, it's true, but that was just because we wouldn't be in the same house. I was smart, but too erratic to be considered for steady Ravenclaw. But that didn't stop Ginny and Luna from being best friends!

"Rattigan, Cora!"

_Shit, it's my turn now._ Aidan whispered a good-luck in my ear and I stepped forward, sat on the stool and placed the hat on my head, over my eyes.

"_Well, well, well…what have we here? A child of a prophecy, and not even knowing… And of a Class within yourself! But a good mind and strong heart, as well a great want to help those around you. You would be great in any house, so where to put you?"_

"_Please, not Slytherin."_

"_Surely you must be joking. You are basing your wish on a fictitious account. That shows daring and perhaps a willingness to trust too quickly. However, you think with your heart more than with your mind. Therefore, you belong to…"_

"Gryffindor!"

"_Good luck, my dear. A child of the prophecy is always in danger. An UNKNOWING child, is in even greater peril."_

I took off the hat and rushed to the table amidst great applause, where I sat down across from a beautiful, statuesque girl.

"I'm Cora," I smiled at the girl.

"I'm Alexandreiana Dracul, but you may call me Lexi," she answered grandly, through a thick Latin accent, holding out her hand.

I shook it, quite taken aback by the grand gesture.

"I know, it's a mouthful, right? I'm Will," said the boy next to her, nodding kindly. I glanced up and noticed it was the boy from the trolley. I blushed wildly and smiled before redirecting my attention to the front of the room, specifically the teacher's table, which I had not had a chance to look at beforehand.

On the left side sat Severus Snape, who looked exactly as I had imagined him to look. He looked at the Great Hall as though he had recently seen something quite unpleasant, but if one looked close, you could just see the corners of his mouth threatening to rise. Next to him sat Hagrid, taking up 3 chairs within himself. He was giving me a big thumbs'up, and I waved at him happily.

In the center of the table sat my all-time favorite character: an old man with a long, silver beard: Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts School. At this minute he was staring at me with his blue X-ray eyes, as though he knew what I was thinking:

_A child of the prophecy? What in the bloody hell is that?_

Aidan's POV

Cora was sorted into Gryffindor. How bloody brilliant.

I winced as I saw her talking to that kid from the trolley, Will was his name, I think. She looked at him differently, and he made her loosen up.

She would like me, even if that meant the death of me. And oddly enough, I think it will.

"Vestey, Aidan!"

I stumbled forward and sat down slowly on the chair. Cora was looking at me compassionately and Aves just stared with a slight smile on her face. Then everything went dark: the hat was on my head.

"_Hmmm, usually you wouldn't be the hardest to place. Your family comes from a long line of Slytherins, each as prejudiced as the next. Somehow, you're different. Or someone has made you different…"_

"_Shut it and sort me already!"_

"_How do you expect me to honor your wish if you can't even show your respect?"_

"_Please, you can see in my head. You KNOW. I can't be in Slytherin."_

"_That's right, sonny, I can see EVERYTHING inside your head. Including the parts that you are desperately trying to keep secret: the insecurity, cunning and willingness to go anywhere to achieve your ends. You are powerful, but you have not the heart for it. I'm sorry; I cannot place you in a house where you do not belong. You are a full…"_

"_No!"_

"Slytherin!"

I ripped the hat off and threw it on the stool. Cora looked devastated, but she was trying to keep smiling, for my sake. Aves, however, had her eyebrows raised in a classic, I-told-you-so, way. I stormed to the table and sat down next to a goth guy around my age who was talking silently to his sister, across from him. He seemed anxious, but she waved him off and turned to me.

"I know what you want. Maybe we can help each other? I'm Isabella," the girl said, a wicked grin on her face.

_Don't trust her, _my head screamed_, she can't be trusted. _

But I was too angry to think straight.

"I'm in," I replied, watching the boy next to me shake his head in disbelief.

Little did I know what was to come next.

**A/N Ohh, cliffhanger. Sort of. Kind of. Not really. You've just gotta love Aidan though, he's such a character! Please review, as always, flames and celebrations are welcome. Oh and a virtual hug to the person who can correctly guess which character from House MD I'm basing Professor Andersonn on! Check the poll- I needs answers! Next chapter up hopefully by tomorrow…**


	5. A Vow, a Ghost and the Dorms!

**A/N-Sorry, it took me about half an hour longer than usual to post this. I'm being irrationally hard on myself . Thank you to SkyeElf, AveryTheElf and im-the-doctor, again for being my awesome, yet, only, reviewers. If you have any suggestions for the story, they are welcome, but thank you for those of you who voted. Can't say I agree with you, but we'll have to see after this chappie! It's quite long, but there are some bombshells…be prepared! This chapter is for Charlie, Morgane, Kiki, Katherine, and Justin. Hugs all around(with seconds, if we have leftovers) Read on!**

Cora's POV

Aidan was in Slytherin. The words had hit me like a hurricane.

But that didn't matter, right? He was my friend. In any case, Draco had been in Slytherin, as was Snape. And they were my favorite characters. Well, apart from Luna, of course. Luna was kick-ass.

The Sorting finished with, "Zanfira, Danielle," being sorted into Hufflepuff, and the chair with the hat disappearing from the room. Prof. Dumbledore stood up slowly and cleared his throat,

"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. For our new students, this castle will become a home, as it has become for many generations before them. First years will be fortunate to remember that the Dark Forest is off limits, unless you are with a teacher. For a complete set of rules, please refer to our castle-keeper, Mr. York, who I believe has quite a large set of the hundred-page manual. I have only one further announcement to make: the appointment of a new Divination teacher. Please join me in welcoming your new Divination teacher: Professor J.K Rowling!"

The Great Hall was enveloped in a deadly silence. _THE JK Rowling? The author of Harry Potter? I've gotta ask for an autograph. _I knew that she was a Seer, but I thought she was regarded as a loon, at least in this world. I glanced over at Will: his eyes were wide with disbelief.

"That's a class I'm not taking," he whispered to her, a wide grin on his face.

"You know, she's just misunderstood. She's actually an amazing writer!" I whispered back, affronted.

"I'm not denying that, Cora. Personally, I love her books. I'm a huge fan. But, you have to understand, she openly TOLD our secret to the world. It was simply our luck that they didn't take us seriously. There was a huge crisis, when the books came out. My father took to simply sleeping in his office because of it. A lot of wizards simply went into hiding, and some still haven't come out!" he argued, an understanding smirk on his face.

"Well, now! I believe we all have a rumbling tummy at this point. So I have only a couple of final words: Finnimbrun, Pronk, Loopy, Wombominky! Tuck in!" Dumbledore yelled, waving his wand over the Hall.

I laughed until my sides hurt, but then I saw the food.

All of my favorites were there: fish and chips, schnitzels, meat pie and boeuf salad. As far as my eye could see, I saw nothing but platters upon platters of food, including a huge turnkey in the middle of the table. I noticed Lexi staring longingly at some of the stranger dishes, including the big plate in front of me that looked to be blood sausage. She took several pieces of it, as well as a slice of meat pie and a scoop of what looked to be Ceviche - a South American, raw fish dish.

"Quite the carnivore, aren't you?" I asked, a grin on my face as I spooned some of everything (pointedly avoiding the Ceviche and Haggis) on my plate.

She swallowed hurriedly and looked me directly in the eyes. My blood went cold. I only now noticed how pale she was, and the fact that her hazel eyes, formerly blocked by her wildly curly mahogany hair, contained subtle, yet terrifying rays of brightest red. She smiled widely, and I noticed her canines were pointed, ever so slightly.

"That would explain a lot, considering I'm half-vampire," she replied, smiling expectantly.

"That's so cool! Wait, do you drink blood?" I asked, retracting my hand a bit.

"_Dumnezeu! _Why does everyone ask me that?" she yelled, looking upwards. I glanced at Will nervously. He shrugged and gestured at her.

"No, I don't drink blood. I'm half-vampire, so I simply prefer meat. Vegetables are disgusting. And I don't dissolve in the sun; I simply get the WORST headaches if I stay out too long. And, for the record, I don't turn into a bat or sleep in a coffin either. Sorry for disappointing you, but I get really pissed when people ask me that question. It's always the first question; never anything else," she mumbled and stared back at her plate.

"Hey, I'm sorry. We just won't mention the vampire thing to anyone else. It'll be like you're normal," I patted her hand and she smiled at me gratefully. I noticed Will looking at me strangely and I went back to my food.

"Damn! My fish is cold!" I groaned and pushed it aside, suddenly full.

"Gimmesec," Lexi mumbled through a mouthful of food. For an aristocratic vampire, she sure was uncivilized when it came to her food.

"Cora, hands off the plate," she ordered as she pointed as single finger at the fish.

I blinked. Next thing I knew, there was a thin stream of fire coming from her finger, heating up my fish. When she stopped it, the fish looked fresh out of the frying pan and as warm as can be.

"You're a paraxene?" I asked, my voice cracking. My first day at Hogwarts and I already knew a half-elf who could talk to animals, a half-vampire who controlled fire and a telekinetic. Some day.

"Yeah. But I don't really use it much. I'd prefer being normal," she shrugged and returned to her food.

"And you, Will?" Cora asked, through a mouthful of French Fries.

"Oh, I'm no paraxene. Just a regular wizard. But many have said I have above-average intelligence. The Hat seriously considered putting me in Ravenclaw, but then he changed his mind," Will replied, his mouth full of potato chips.

"Then you're the lucky one," Lexi said, her eyes longing.

I shook my head and returned to the food, determined to eat as much as I could.

Aves' POV

I knew it. From the second I saw Aidan, I knew he was a Slytherin.

Okay, so maybe not from the second I saw him, but pretty close to that!

I had sat down to a short Asian girl who seemed to be doodling away on a notepad. I glanced over her shoulder and grinned: it was Anime. The detail of the picture was incredible, it seemed as though it would jump off the page. I was never an extraordinary Anime artist, but I drew well: mostly pictures of animals or eyes. She had drawn a picture of a kid with long hair and glasses, smiling up from the page at her. Upon closer inspection, I noticed it looked like Will, the guy Cora had been staring at. My eyes widened and I cleared my throat.

"Hi, there. I'm Aves," I smiled, tucking my hair behind my ear.

"Huh?" the girl glanced around; she had been immersed in her drawing.

"Oh, hi. Sorry, I get so immersed when I draw. I'm Bex," she grinned, placing her pencil and pad in her pocket.

"You draw really well. But the drawing looked really familiar. Who was it of?" I asked, my voice kind. I didn't mean to pry, and I definitely wasn't going to tell Cora. She'd take it too seriously.

"Can you keep a secret?" Bex asked looking around. Everyone's eyes were on Dumbledore.

"Yeah, what is it?" I replied, leaning forward. I had to confirm my suspicions.

"See that guy over there?" she whispered, pointing at the back of Will's head.

"Yeah?" I said, anxious.

"It's him. We sat in a compartment together on the train, and he was just so kind…" she looked at me sheepishly.

"You like him," I said, with a certainty. As if it wasn't already painted on her face.

We piled food onto our plates before she answered,

"I do."

I looked at her through narrowed eyes. She wasn't ugly; in fact, she was quite pretty. Her hair was styled into short, messy layers around a thin face that bore quite big eyes and plump lips. After several seconds, she noticed my staring and cleared her throat.

"I'm a Metamorphagus," she declared, looking proud of herself as she focused her eyes sharply and literally morphed HERSELF into ME! Amused at my face, she changed back, and said,

"Don't worry. It takes to much effort for me to do that all the time. I just love seeing the look on people's faces."

I smiled nervously and turned away.

_Was there no one in my own house I could at least hang out with?_

I glanced at the Slytherin table and noticed that at least, someone was having a worse time than I was.

Aidan's POV

Someone was staring at me. I felt it.

It was Aves, smiling sympathetically at me from the Ravenclaw table. The Asian girl next to her kept trying to make conversation, but she was ignoring her. Her face simply said, "This sucks, right?" I grinned back and turned back to my table where Isabella had begun to talk in a very high-pitched voice to the boy next to her.

"She always like this?" I asked the boy next to me, who seemed to be her brother. He looked up, and I noticed that he looked to be anything but.

Whereas her skin was dark, his was paler, closer to a light caramel. She looked like she tried really hard to look good, while he didn't look like he cared less. His eyes were the same almost-translucent light green and his hair the same pitch black, though his was shaggy instead of woven. Around his neck, he wore a dog collar with inch-long spikes and I even spotted a small tattoo on his neck. He glanced at me, then at her and laughed.

His sister looked shocked, as though he hadn't laughed in ages. When he finally stopped, he looked me and patted me on the back.

"Sorry, dude. It's just that you're the only guy besides me that has ever been annoyed by her! I'm Alec," he grinned widely and held out his hand.

"I'm Aidan," I replied, taken aback.

"So, Aidan, my sister had a proposition for you, did she not? What was it?" he asked, through a mouthful of stuffed cabbage. I bit my lip. Not only did I not know him very well, but he was also asking about Cora.

"That's none of your business, is it?" I replied, my voice biting. He raised a thin eyebrow.

"That may be, but I'm warning you. The last guy my sister "helped" wound up in St. Mungo's on the verge of death," he stared at me and continued calmly,

"Whatever my sister's offered you, it's not worth it. She craves power more than anything else. You may wind up dead, I wouldn't put it past her."

"Trust me, she's worth it," I responded, stabbing a piece of potato with my fork.

"So it's a girl, eh? Hmm, it's always a girl," he mused looking at the ceiling.

"You wouldn't understand!" I practically yelled. Who the hell was this guy anyway?

"Mate, I get it. You're in love. 'Course I think it's ridiculous, but then again, I've never actually LIKED a girl. Just a warning," he said, a perplexed look on his face as he turned to the table.

"Ahhh, dessert! Best meal of the day," he said, as he piled the treacle tart on his plate.

There was only one person weirder than this guy that I knew of: Aves. She would kill me. I knew that. But I had to see what would happen, didn't I?

"First years, please follow me!" the Slytherin prefect yelled and we stood up to follow him. He led us to the staircase and began walking down the first staircase to my left.

"Keep up, midgets! The staircases change. You will notice that we are walking downwards, whilst the other houses are upwards. We are the only House with a dormitory in the basement. For those of you who love the dark and water, this should be a pleasant surprise. Oh, and one more thing before we go in. Gryffindors are off-limits. No interaction. If you are caught interacting with a Gryffindor…well, let's just say that we have strict punishments for that," he grinned unpleasantly and placed his hand on a green stone in the middle of a wall.

"_Pure Power!" _he whispered and the wall dissolved revealing the Slytherin Common Room.

"That will be the password for the next 2 weeks, after which we will post the new one on the board. Get in, midgets, I'm too tired for your dawdling!" he ordered and shoved the nearest first-year into the room. We all hurried into the Room and gasped.

The room was circular, but had no windows. Instead, the ceiling was entirely made of glass, to reveal the fact that we were, indeed, under the Black Lake. It created an eerie green light over the entire room. Everything in the room was emerald and silver, right down to the fire in the fireplace, which burnt emerald.

"Okay, okay. You can sightsee later. Girls, your dorms are to the right, the furthest down the stairs. Boys, same but on your left. Curfew is in 10 minutes, you must be in your dorms by then. Behave, or else!" he guffawed and headed into his own dorm sleepily.

I collapsed on the sofa next to Alec who was banging his head to some nonexistent music. Isabella sat down next to me several seconds later.

"So, Aidan. I've seen what you want," she looked at me from under her lashes.

"Cut the crap, okay? If you can help me, at least have the decency to say it straight," I glanced at Alec. He had fallen asleep.

"Fine. You want her. There's only one thing standing in your way," she said, her eyes narrowed.

"What?" I demanded, my voice eager.

"Sweetie, tut-tut; you know it can't be that easy," she smiled evilly and shook Alec awake.

"Whut?" he grumbled and looked at her face.

"Aidan, I need you to make an Unbreakable Vow. Alec will be our Bonder," she glanced at Alec with dangerous eyes.

"No!" he glanced away, avoiding her eyes. She looked angry.

"No, Isabella. I won't let you do this to someone again!" he yelled, struggling with himself, as his left hand tried to push away his rising right hand, which held his wand.

"Alec, honey. I will never ask you to do anything for me again," Isabella said, but her voice was different. It sounded younger, and more innocent than Isabella's. I glanced at her worriedly, but she looked fine.

"No, Suze," his voice sounded anguished, but when he raised his head, I noticed that his eyes had glazed over and that he had become robotic all of a sudden.

"The wizards will join their right hands please," he said, and Isabella gripped my right hand tightly.

"Will you, Aidan Vestey, promise to follow any and all orders in order to meet your ends?" he asked looking at me expectantly.

"I will," I gasped as I saw a bright line of light unite our hands.

"And will you, Isabella Carmicheal, promise to fulfill your side of the bargain in any means necessary?"

"I will." The second ray wrapped our hands.

"And will you, Aidan Vestey, promise to keep the nature of this Vow an ultimate secret?"

"I will." The third ray wrapped our hands and I felt it tighten around my heart as it disappeared.

"And it is done. Good night boys, I want my beauty sleep. Not that I need it though," Isabella laughed and walked powerfully away into the dorms.

I myself turned around and walked into the dorm, with Alec following me like a ghost.

As soon as we entered the dorm, I collapsed on the bed nearest the door, where my stuff had already been neatly transferred. Alec sat down on his bed, and stared at the wall, blankly.

"Alec, who's Suze?" I asked, shaking him gently.

"What?" he said dreamily, "Yes mum, I think I'll sleep now."

And he fell back on the mattress, asleep.

Aves' POV

The Ravenclaw dormitory was very near the top of the castle, from what I could tell. There was no door to lead to the tower, instead there was a small portrait of a young girl with silvery-white hair and steady eyes. She looked at us evenly, and smiled.

"Welcome, first years. Answer this question to gain entry: From where do paraxenes get their power?" she asked, in a voice ten times more mature than her face.

"Oh! Paraxenes achieve their power from within, when they are born!" I nearly yelled, blushing fuchsia immediately afterwards.

"Well done, young one. It seems the hat was right about you," she smiled kindly at me and opened an archway behind her.

We piled into the common room, where a blue fire was glowing brightly in the fireplace. I immediately made my way to the small library in the corner, only to find someone already sitting in a chair there.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you," I gasped, as I noticed that the boy I was talking to wasn't a boy. He was a ghost!

"After several hundred years of gasps, it really gets unoriginal. I'm Seth, the ghost of Ravenclaw house. And you are?" he said, his back turned to me, as he placed a book back onto the bookshelf.

"Kind of offended at the moment, you're being quite rude," I replied, a smirk on my face.

"Well, I apologize for sparing you from nightmares. I'll turn if you wish me to," he responded, chuckling lightly. And then he turned around, revealing his face. He had obviously once been beautiful, but his eyes were now haggard and the left side of his face bore an ugly scar, which spanned from his eye to his mouth.

"I'm Aves," I gasped, trying to hide my shock.

"Nice to meet you, I guess. You've gotta be the feistiest Ravenclaw I have ever met, though. See you around? Your curfew is in about 10 seconds," he commented, a crooked smile lighting his eyes.

"Shit! Thanks for reminding me," I yelled, as I ran into my dormitory.

"Shut it!" the girls in the room whispered viciously as I closed the door behind me. "We're trying to sleep here!"

I rolled my eyes and collapsed onto the bed, thinking.

_I've got to tell Cora about Seth tomorrow!_

Cora's POV

We entered the common room, after gaining access through the Fat Lady. She had been singing Rebecca Black's, "Friday," to the dismay of anyone within a mile of her.

The Common Room was beautiful, just as it had been described in the books. A rich red carpet covered the floor, and the walls were made of warm stone. The fire in the fireplace had gone out, and the prefect was trying to reignite it manually, to no avail.

"If you could step aside," Lexi said, rolling her eyes dramatically. Will was too busy too notice, he had been shaking his head in dismay at me.

The prefect stepped aside, taken aback by the fact that Lexi was precisely his height, despite the fact that they were 2 years apart. She placed her palms on the wood, closed her eyes, and the next second, a roaring fire was crackling merrily. Lexi stood up, and shook her wild hair out of hair eyes.

"Uhhh, hi. I'm Jack," he said, looking at her dazedly.

"Yeah, and I'm not interested," Lexi said, turning around and grabbing my arm, before waving a goodnight to Will and running up the stairs and into the dormitory.

"What the bloody hell was that about?" I asked her, as I collapsed on my bed, near the window.

"I don't know," she replied, shaking her head and looking up. Her face was sheepish.

"He was so cute, the words just came out of my mouth. You don't think he'll hate me, do you?" she asked me worriedly.

"Lexi, you just made him like you 10 times more. Seriously, chillax!" I laughed and turned around on my bed.

"_Slava Domnului!" _she exclaimed, and we both laughed at the looks on our faces. A tentative knock interrupted our breakout.

"Come in," I said as I looked over at the door.

A tall girl entered the room and looked at us. She had short, black hair cut into a punk look, streaked with a lime green that clashed with her electric-blue eyes. Her fingers bore at least 5 rings, and one wrist was completely covered with bracelets of bands I had never heard of. Lexi was looking at her in total shock and partial disgust.

"Hello," I said, suddenly, to break the tension, palpable in the air, "I'm Cora, and this is Lexi."

"Hey," she replied, through a thick South-African accent, looking thankfully at me, "I'm Amber."

Amber walked over and collapsed on the bed next to mine. She stared expectantly at Lexi for several seconds before shaking her head, "Dude, at least you could stop staring. It's getting on my nerves."

"Sorry, but we won't get along," Lexi said, anger burning in her eyes.

"Gee, really? I wouldn't have guessed. Apart from your obvious kindness, I mean," Amber replied. I snorted at that.

Lexi stood up angrily, her hands forming fireballs.

"Lexi, calm down!" I tried to stop her, but it was kind of funny. Amber simply rolled her eyes, and nodded,

"So. That's the way you want it," she smiled and tapped an invisible object.

Suddenly, a stream of water descended from the ceiling and drenched Lexi. I, however, was oddly dry. Amber looked at me quizzically, before shrugging.

"Good night, ladies," she smiled at me, before placing two earbuds in her ears and closing the curtains around her bed.

"I'm going to kill her!" Lexi screamed, as she took off her wet robes and changed into a pair of pajamas.

"Tomorrow, Lexi. There's always tomorrow," I shook my head and changed into a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt.

_They'll never get along._

**A/N: How'd I do? Please review, there's a lot of surprises in this chapter. Yes, I make this up as I go along, but the characters are actually planned ahead. That's why there are soo many. Review and for those of you who want to change your minds, I have added a new choice on the poll, so please vote! I luvs you all, reviews, no matter how harsh feed my soul!**


	6. The Morning After and Schedules

**A/N: Hey guys! Thanks again to AveryTheElf, SkyeElf and im-the-doctor for reviewing. Since you're wondering, yes I will thank everyone who reviews. It's the way I am. So, this chapter is kind of a fun filler/ character development. You really get a peek into their minds. It's kinda long, but that's because I couldn't bear to cut anything away. No matter how insignificant a little detail may be, it's important. Pay attention to the characters, or you will get a heart attack by the end! This chapter is dedicated to everyone, but Emily in particular. I miss your sick sense of humour!**

Cora's POV

I woke up at around 6 the next morning, weary from the night before. In the bed next to me, Lexi was spread widely, and snoring like a bulldozer. Amber's bed was empty, but a note was lying on her messy bedsheets.

_Dear Cora (and Lexi),_

_Gone to the Owlery early this morning. Meet me in Great Hall for breakfast._

_-Amber_

I smiled. I had never had so many friends in my life. People usually thought I was bossy and seriously messed up, and avoided me like the plague. Here, however, we seemed to rely on each other, because we were all away from our homes. This was our HOME now, and the people around us, our family.

Placing the note in my trunk, I slipped into my ratty jeans and, ironically, a Gryffindor t-shirt I had bought from a street vendor in Camden Market. After several moments of consideration, I pulled out the box of Cockroach Cluster, my iPod, and my brand-new copy of _Hogwarts, A History. _Looking nervously out my door, I grabbed Theseus' cage and rushed to the Common Room. Only problem was, it wasn't empty.

"Mornin' Cora!" Will grinned at me from the table and waved me over.

_Shit, this is EXACTLY what I didn't want to happen._ Despite my joy in seeing him, I had wanted him to see me different: not like this, with my hair frizzled and my eyes sleepy.

"Morning, Will! Whatcha doin'?" I asked, a wide smile on my face. I was going to try Lexi's approach: act indifferent.

"Well, I WAS reading a muggle astronomical science book, but now that you're here, I think I'll do something different," he replied, glancing at me in dismay from over his glasses.

"Sorry, not interested," I smiled shyly and sat down on the loveseat, with the book in my arms.

"Umm, okay then. But, just for the record, that shirt doesn't quite match your jeans," he mused, returning to his iPod and the book.

_My shirt doesn't match my jeans? Is that guy talk for something?_

I shook my head in confusion and put my earbuds in my ear, before selecting, "Snow," by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I flipped to a random page and began reading.

Aidan's POV

I shook Alec awake the next morning, if only to check if was still dazed. He wasn't.

"Dude, what the hell!" he yelled at me, as he jumped from the bed, with nothing but a pair of black boxers on, pointing his wand at my head. I noted that he did, indeed have a small tattoo on his neck, of what I wasn't sure.

"In the name of Albus Dumbledore's beard! I was just checking whether or not you were okay. You were seriously weird last night," I argued, pulling my own wand out in anger, "And cover up, for the sake of my mental health!"

Alec shot me his best death glare, but pulled on a pair of black jeans, combat boots and a black t-shirt.

"What do mean, I was seriously weird?" he asked me as we were leaving the dormitory. Isabella was exiting her dorm as well and she shot me a beaming smile, as though nothing had happened last night.

"I dunno how to describe it. You were all conflicted one second, but the next you were doing anything she said," I shrugged, pointing at Isabella, and began to head out of the Common Room.

"Did I act all possessed?" he asked suddenly, grabbing my robe with wild eyes.

"Yeah, it was seriously creepy… Wait!" I yelled as he cursed at my words and ran to Isabella, pinning her against the wall.

"You did it again. I thought we had had an agreement," he spat at her, but I could sense the pain in his words. Isabella simply smiled and cursed herself out of his grip.

"Some agreements are made to be broken, brother," she replied calmly, dusting off her shoulders before striding out of the Common Room.

"Bitch!" I heard Alec curse under his breath, as he rubbed his burned hands. He pocketed his wand and stormed out of the Common Room, towards the Great Hall. I caught up with him seconds later, but I was nearly running to keep up with his brisk pace. We rounded a corner and I stopped him.

"Alec, I'm going to ask you one more time. Who. Is. Suze?" I gasped, out of breath. He rounded on me, his eyes brimming with tears and yelled,

"That is NONE of your business!" He ran his hand through his hair, and turned away. I heard his breath struggling to even out, and failing miserably.

"Listen, man. Go to breakfast, I'll meet you there," he turned to smile at me, but it looked like a grimace.

And then he ran off.

I entered the Great Hall only minutes later, to find that Cora and Aves weren't there yet. I sighed and sat down at the end of the Slytherin table, next to Isabella.

"Okay, Aidan. Now that you've Vowed, it's time to set our plans into action. Meet me in the Astronomy tower with Alec at eight o'clock next Sunday night, okay?" she glanced at me sweetly, but I saw the malicious glint in her eyes.

"Fine, but no more of that creepy voice-stuff," I demanded, and she raised a hesitant eyebrow.

"Why, you don't like my voice?" she asked innocently, but this time, in Cora's voice. I would have throttled her if she weren't my only chance…

"Don't you dare," I glared at her and finished my pancakes half-heartedly, before Alec walked in, his eyes red but his face grinning.

"Pancakes! Food of the gods, eh?" he joked before piling about 6 on his plate. Isabella looked at him in disgust and focused on her makeup. The door of the Great Hall opened violently and I grinned as I saw Cora entering, her pretty face excited all of a sudden.

Aves' POV

I can't say I woke up early, 'cause, well, I didn't.

I woke up later than anyone, apparently, because the whole Common Room was empty, except for Seth, who was waiting patiently at the door for someone. Once he saw me coming down the steps, his face lit up a bit and he gestured out the door. I smiled mutely and grabbed a book randomly from the shelf to avoid anyone at the table. I was seriously beginning to doubt my belonging in Ravenclaw, I hated everyone there except for Seth. But he was a willing mute. He didn't say much, and I needed to talk to people! My mouth was bigger than I wanted to admit…

"Why did you wait for me?" I asked, as we made our way down to the Great Hall.

"I don't quite know. I saw that you were kind of the loner in your group last night," he shrugged, and shook the hair out of his face.

"And you follow around the loners in every single first-year group of Ravenclaws?" I asked dubiously, and he chuckled,

"No, I'll admit to that. But you grew on me. You're the first person I've ever met who didn't recoil when you saw me," he looked down at me and smiled. I wanted to hug him. I hugged everyone.

"Well, that's ridiculous. Everything that happens has a reason, and no one should be ashamed of what they look like!" I waved my hands in the air for extra effect.

"Spoken like a true friend and Ravenclaw," he stared down at me, his eyes knowing.

I simply grinned and continued,

"Wait until you meet my friend, Cora. She'll love you!" I turned to him, but he had disappeared.

"Seth?" I glanced around, but he was gone. I could feel my shoulders drooping, but I shook it off and walked into the Great Hall. I spotted Cora standing next to two girls I hadn't met and rushed over to meet her.

"Hey, Cora!" I piped up, and hugged her.

"Hey, Aves! How was your night?" she asked me, and I rolled my eyes,

"Horrible! I don't like any living person in my House," I exclaimed, wondering if she would catch that. She didn't.

"Oh, well! This is Lexi and Amber, my bunk-mates. Guys, this is Aves," she smiled at me consolingly, gesturing to the girls next to her. They were total opposites: one girl was statuesque and gorgeous, looking as though she had just walked off a runway. Her face was sheepish as she glanced at all the boys looking at her. The other bore punk clothes and a messy haircut, streaked with green, but she smiled at me kindly. They both shook my hand and then returned to their food. I waved brightly to the boy sitting across the table from them. He stood up and held his hand out,

"I'm Will," he said, smiling at Cora as he sat back down.

I leaned forward and whispered in her ear,

"Him?"

She pulled away and nodded, her eyes begging me to change the subject. Thankfully, I didn't have to.

"Did I hear you right when you said you didn't like any LIVING person in Ravenclaw, were you by any chance suggesting something else, such as you being friends with a House Ghost?" Amber piped up, pushing her plate of what looked to be tofu sausages away. I warmed up to her instantaneously.

"Yeah. Our House Ghost is this 15 year-old guy named Seth. He's so awesome, but he kind of disappeared when we neared the Great Hall," I said brightly, ignoring their disbelieving looks.

"Sure, Aves. You met a ghost of a cute guy, who disappeared before we could see him," Cora shook her head, and looked at me compassionately. My eyes narrowed in rage.

Amber, however, narrowed her eyes in interest.

"Interesting… Oh, and Cora. Remember that not all things that are real can be seen," she mused turning back to her plate. I raised my eyebrow at the embarrassed Cora, who stood up and said,

"I didn't mean it that way, sorry, Aves. If you say he's real then I believe you," she stated simply, and gave me a hug. "Cheer up-we get to pick our classes soon!"

I smiled gratefully at her, before grabbing a nectarine and heading to the Ravenclaw Table, to read. I glanced up nervously though, to look at Will. There was something weird about him, that much I knew. He was no regular boy.

Suddenly, a voice boomed above us somewhere,

"FIRST-YEARS PLEASE REPORT TO YOUR HEADS OF HOUSE FOR SCHEDULES. THE REST OF YOU HAVE A FREE DAY UNTIL TOMORROW!

The upperclassmen cheered and ran out onto the grounds: it was the perfect fall day. At my table, there were 8 other people left except for me, and I followed them hesitantly out the door. We continued along the ground floor until we reached the Prof. Macnamara's classroom. I knocked at the door tentatively and stood aside.

"Yeah, just send someone in!" a raspy voice yelled, and I felt someone push me lightly and I whirled around. It was Bex, who gave me a thumbs up, before I entered the office, nervously.

The teacher wasn't even turned to me; he was, instead, shuffling a bunch of papers on the dresser and muttering to himself,

"Where the bloody hell did I put my wand?"

"Umm, Sir? Your wand is in your pocket," I muttered, my face turning beet red. _Nice going, smart-ass! You just got detention for talkin' smack to a teacher!_

"Huh? Oh, thank you! I just can never seem to remember where I put that thing," he turned and gave me a big smile. His face was not precisely clean-shaven: it bore a thin layer of salt and pepper stubble. Despite his receding hairline, his puppy-brown eyes were youthful, and I lightened up as I sat down.

"Let's get down to business, shall we? I'm Professor Macnamara, Head of Ravenclaw House and your Professor of Transfiguration. And your name is?" he asked, his wand poised over a pile of papers.

"Avery McGee," I replied glancing around the messy office.

"Well, Ms. McGee, you will be taking the required classes for any first year; that is, Potions, Defense against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Charms, Astronomy, Herbology, History of Magic, and for the First Semester only, Flying. In addition to those, students are asked to take 2 extra classes, as well as choose a class to take up the spot of Flying once the First Semester is complete," he said rapidly, tapping the paper when he listed the required courses. I winced when he mentioned Flying. Flying had terrified me ever since I was little and Rhain would throw balls at me from the air. That had really hurt.

I nodded in understanding and asked,

"What are the optional classes?" That was what interested me most.

"You can choose to take Muggle Studies, Ancient Runes, Arithmancy and Care for Magical Creatures. Oh, and of course, Divination," he added with a roll of his eyes.

I smiled at him understandingly, I hated the subject. It was useless and a load of bull pokey in my personal opinion.

"I would like to take Arithmancy and Care for Magical Creatures for now, and then take Ancient Runes later on, please," I pursed my lips. Arithmancy was known to be difficult, but I accepted the challenge fully. Numbers fascinated me.

"Wow, that's quite a course load. You do realize you have chosen the most difficult electives, right?" he stared at me quizzically, "Pardon my asking, but I never fit in much in Ravenclaw. I loved books, but I never chose based on difficulty."

I smirked and replied simply,

"I like to be challenged."

"That's a very good thing. Look over your schedule, classes will begin as soon as this whole ordeal is through!" he handed me my schedule and a map of the school, and guided me kindly to the door, an exasperated smile still on his face.

My schedule was as follows:

_Period 1: Charms- Professor Raynor_

_Period 2: Care for Magical Creatures- Professor Hagrid_

_Period 3: Potions- Professor Snape_

_Study Hall_

_Period 4: Flying- Professor Batkai_

_Period 5: Arithmancy- Professor Janis_

_Period 6: History of Magic: Professor Binns_

_Lunch_

_Period 7: Transfiguration- Professor Macnamara_

_Period 8: Herbology- Professor Parraga_

_Period 9: Defense Against the Dark Arts- Professor Andersonn_

_Study Hall_

_Dinner_

_Once a week, on Fridays: Astronomy- Professor Taylor at midnight._

_Note: Your further elective, Ancient Runes, shall be added in place of Flying at the beginning of the second semester._

I sighed. My favorite class was last, right before dinner.

Cora's POV

We headed out of the Great Hall, with Amber defiantly leading the group.

_For such a chilling paraxene, she sure has a hot head!_

Lexi was standing next to me and Will was somewhere ahead of us, trying to make conversation with a black-haired Gryffindor, whose name I couldn't recall for the life of me. I liked him, it was true, but WHY?

We reached Prof. Andersonn's office, only to realize that we had no idea what to do. Even Amber knew better than to knock impulsively. Finally Will sighed and turned to us,

"Screw this!" He knocked 5 times loudly at the door. As he turned back around to us proudly, the door opened mutely and Prof. Andersonn stepped onto the threshold. We all tried not to smile as Will gave us a look and then realized,

"She's right behind me isn't she?" I nodded and he turned around to face Prof. Andersonn. She simply smiled sadly and said,

"For going first, you receive 5 points for Gryffindor, but for cursing you lose them." Then looked at us disbelievingly and said, "So, this is the lot they've sent to Gryffindor this year. Well, you don't look like much, but I HIGHLY intend to keep our record of House and Quidditch Cups going for many more years, so you guys better not…ehm… screw that up! Alexandreiana Katerina Dracul?" she demanded, looking over the crowd.

"Yes, ma'am?" Lexi replied, raising her head quickly.

"You're first, come on," Prof. Andersonn gestured inside and walked back in, her robes sweeping elegantly behind her. I hugged Lexi, who seemed to be having a nervous breakdown, and she smiled thankfully.

"You'll be fine," I assured her, and even Amber gave her a light pat on the back. But as Lexi walked to the door, I saw Will snap out of his reverie and give Lexi a huge hug. My heart ached, but I controlled it. My friends needed me now.

She took a deep breath and entered the classroom.

We waited for what seemed like forever, Amber sharing her iPod with me, and trying to get me to like some of her artists, such as Static-X or Bullet for my Valentine. After a while, she simply stopped trying and we decided to try out some of the spells we already knew. When Lexi came out, Will was trying to teach me the proper movement for, "_Expelliarmus!" _but as soon as he saw her, his hand fell sheepishly to his side. I shot him a quizzical look, but he simply shrugged it off.

Lexi was beaming and holding her schedule proudly. I glanced quickly and saw that she was taking Potions, DADA, Flying, Herbology, Care for Magical Creatures, Ancient Runes, Astronomy, Muggle Studies, Transfiguration, Charms, and History of Magic (Omg! Binns!).

"Cora Alice Rattigan!" called the Professor's voice from the office. I gulped and stepped inside. Will seemed oddly struggling with himself, but a death glare from Lexi stopped him, and he simply smiled sadly at me. I closed the door.

The office was impeccable, down to the last dust bunny. This was how a witch's room should look like. Books were stacked everywhere and I even spotted a not-too-well hidden bag of Cheetos behind her desk.

"Well, Ms. Rattigan. Before we get into your schedule, I'd like to know a little about you. I already know that you come from a muggle family, and the Hat has told me quite a bit more, though some things I simply cannot disclose. However, what I want to know is where YOU see yourself in the future. I find that your answer often differs with those who may already know," Prof. Andersonn stepped down from the ladder with a big book in her hand.

"I'd quite like to become a Healer, ma'am," I smiled as I sat down.

"Why is that?" she asked, tying her hair into a long ponytail.

"Because I believe that magic isn't supposed to be used to injure people, but rather to heal. We could help the world so much, if we just stopped trying to hurt," I replied, looking at my shoes. I was such a pacifist, even if my hot head got in the way of it sometimes.

"The world would be a better place, if only more people thought like you do, my dear. On the subject of your schedule, however, I have already filled in your required classes. There aren't many classes directed specifically towards Healing, at Hogwarts, but Care for Magical Creatures is recommended. You may choose two electives: Muggle Studies, Divination, Care for Magical Creatures, Arithmancy or Ancient Runes. A third will, of course, be added to replace your second semester period that will be taken up by Flying for now."

"I'd like to take Divination and Arithmancy, for now, and add Care for Magical Creatures 2nd semester," I interjected quickly. The professor raised an eyebrow at my Divination choice, but I needed to take that class, if only for the fact that JK Rowling taught it!

"Very well, then. Quite an unusual combination, but I believe you shall make do. I'll look forward to seeing you later on, today," Prof. Andersonn smiled and handed me my schedule:

_Period 1: Potions- Professor Snape_

_Period 2: History of Magic- Professor Binns_

_Period 3: Charms- Professor Raynor_

_Study Hall/ Break_

_Period 4: Flying- Professor Batkai_

_Period 5: Arithmancy- Professor Janis_

_Period 6: Herbology- Professor Parraga_

_Lunch_

_Period 7: Transfiguration- Professor Macnamara_

_Period 8: Divination- Professor Rowling_

_Period 9:Defense Against the Dark Arts- Professor Andersonn_

_Study Hall/ Break_

_Dinner_

_Once a week, on Fridays: Astronomy- Professor Taylor at midnight._

_Note: Your further elective, Care for Magical Creatures, shall be added in place of Flying at the beginning of the second semester._

I smiled and headed out of the office, with the first concrete proof that I wasn't dreaming in my hands.

Aidan's POV

We exited the Great Hall anxiously, Alec drudging along by my right and Isabella by my left. The door to the office was wide open and the bat-like man gestured with one finger,

"Enter," he said in a snide voice, and Isabella pushed me in.

I stopped only to glare at her, but then stepped inside the office to look around. It was humid as all hell, and even the walls bore beads of condensation. The office itself was small and dark, but lined with many potions of different sorts.

"Sit down," the Professor instructed, his voice unpleasantly running through my ears. I obliged and sat down on the hardback wood chair in front of his desk.

"Name?" he asked, not looking up from his paperwork.

"Aidan Vestey," I replied, rolling my eyes.

"10 points from Slytherin for that eye-roll," he placed his quill in the inkpot and looked up at me, as though he thought I would explode.

I almost did, but I contained my rage. Who the hell did he think he was?

". I am Professor Snape, Head of Slytherin and Potions Master of Hogwarts. I'd rather like to get this on with, as you can imagine, spending time with snot-nosed first-years is not my idea of _fun_," he put emphasis on that last word and stared at me with his empty, cold, black eyes. His greasy, black hair stuck to his temples and forehead, leaving the skin shiny. I puked a little in my mouth. Had this man never heard of shampoo?

"As your mandatory classes, you will be taking Potions, Astronomy, DADA, Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology, History of Magic and Flying. The paper in front of you lists possible electives. You must choose 3, one is to commence after the first semester, to take the place of Flying," he sneered and pointed at the paper.

I didn't even bother to glance at the page. I simply looked at him blankly and responded,

"I'll take Care for Magical Creatures and Divination, and as my third, I'll take Arithmancy."

"Fine. Take your schedule and send in the next person," he handed me my schedule and pointed out the door dismissively.

I looked at my schedule:

_Period 1: Potions- Professor Snape_

_Period 2: Care for Magical Creatures- Professor Hagrid_

_Period 3: Transfiguration- Professor Macnamara_

_Study Hall/ Break_

_Period 4: Flying- Professor Batkai_

_Period 5: Charms- Professor Raynor_

_Period 6: Herbology- Professor Parraga_

_Lunch_

_Period 7: History of Magic- Professor Binns_

_Period 8: Divination- Professor Rowling_

_Period 9:Defense Against the Dark Arts- Professor Andersonn_

_Study Hall/ Break_

_Dinner_

_Once a week, on Fridays: Astronomy- Professor Taylor at midnight._

_Note: Your further elective, Arithmancy, shall be added in place of Flying at the beginning of the second semester._

I hated Snape. He was worse than Isabella. He had called me insignificant.

And I, Aidan Vestey, was not insignificant.

**A/N: How'd I do? Review please, and I promise the next chapter will be more exciting. It's just that I can't have every chapter be dramatic, because that would ruin the point of a dramatic chapter. It would become oxymoronic. :P . Flames as well as hugs are welcome!**


	7. Black Holes and Revelations

**A/N: Okay you guys. This is a shorter chapter, but it's really important! Oh and to SkyeElf, you're right. I went back and changed Aidan's word choice…I just had writer's block at the moment. Thank you to SkyeElf, im-the-doctor and AverytheElf for reviewing. You guys are the best ever. Yay for double digits chapter! You guys get virtual hugs! Chapter contains new POV, as well as some surprises. This chapter is for RK, and JK; and to Morgane for a brilliant idea.**

Cora's POV

I was awoken the next morning by a loud tap on my window. I looked outside thewindow and tried to focus my eyes: it must be early, for it was pitch black outside. It was Theseus, bringing me back a letter from Mum. I laughed inwardly as I imagined what her reaction must have been when Theseus landed on our kitchen window. It wasn't that she didn't LIKE him, she just hated his mess and birds in general. I sat up from my bed, and opened the creaking window gently. He fluttered in and folded his blue-black wings in exhaustion.

"Good boy, Theseus. Why don't you head over to the Owlery; you've finished the Cockroach Cluster already!" I smiled at him, petting his head gently.

He hooted softly and bit my finger affectionately before flying gracefully out the window, leaving me with a neat letter on the windowsill. I opened my trunk silently, and pulled out my favorite blue silk kimono Mum had gotten for me while she was in a convention in Tokyo. It had black dragons patterned elegantly over it as well as Japanese characters. I slipped into it and placed my letter in my pocket before sneaking down to the Common Room.

Thankfully, Will wasn't there this time, so I tiptoed over to the sofa in front of the fireplace and opened the letter:

**Dear Cora,**

**Theseus scared the living daylights out of me when he landed in the kitchen! I swear, we are buying him a neon collar when you come for break, that THING is beyond stealthy. Not to mention he kind of ate one of the goldfish... **

**I'm so glad to hear that things are going well at Hogwarts! My friends keep asking about you, and I still can't believe that all I can tell them is that you are at a boarding school. So I don't. I tell them my little ray of sunshine **(I rolled my eyes at that)** was at an ELITE boarding school! And I can't wait to get to meet your friends, although I don't quite know about Lexi, she may set the house on fire. But I suppose Amber could help with that.**

**You asked for boy advice so here it is: Don't act all awkward around him; instead, be yourself, you're amazing after all!**

**Sweetie, there is one thing. You asked about Dad in your last letter, so I guess I can't keep it secret from you much longer. Your father and I have decided to get a divorce. I knew that he cheated on me while I was pregnant with you, but he admitted to me several months ago that he was seeing someone else. And last week, he came home, drunk, and well…he kind of beat me up. I'm okay, though, so you needn't worry your big head about it. I filed a restraining order, but I've moved in with Doina, just to be safe. I actually quite think it might be best for you to stay at Hogwarts over winter break, while I find us a new place, where he can't find us. The man scares me, Core, more than I'd care to admit. But you're safe there, that's what matters.**

**I love you, sweetie. Be good.**

**Love,**

**Mum**

I sat in front of the fireplace for a long time, shocked.

And then came the anger. I crumpled up the letter and threw it as far as I could and kicked everything I saw, until it hurt too badly. I punched the wall several times, leaving my knuckles bloody. As I whirled in different directions, I saw the fire roar brighter and the candles burn more ferociously, as books fell and everything shook in my rage.

And then I cried. I simply collapsed on the couch, wrapped my arms around my knees and sobbed. For once in my life, I missed my mum so much that I couldn't hold them back. I cried so hard I didn't notice when someone came down the stairs to inspect the noise.

"Cora?" Will gasped, recognizing my frizzy hair. "Are you alright? What the hell happened to this place?"

"I don't know," I replied, not even bothering to look up. "It all just happened when I got mad…"

"And why did you get so mad?" he asked, sitting on the couch and wrapping his arm around me.

"I got a letter from my mum," I sniffed and readjusted my position so my head rested on his shoulder.

"Then, shouldn't you be happy?" he asked, a quizzical look on his face.

"My dad beat her. She's filed a restraining order, but," I trailed off, feeling my eyes well up again.

"Don't worry, Cora. If she's anything like you, she'll be alright," he wrapped his other arm around me and we just sat there for a while.

"Hey! I know something that will cheer you up!" Will exclaimed, his eyes suddenly wide.

"I highly doubt it, Will," I wiped my tears with my sleeve and looked up at him.

"Oh, no. You're gonna want to see this! I just need to get something, but meet me down here, dressed, in a minute, okay?" he pulled away from the hug and ran up the stairs. I sighed as I watched him run off: his arms had felt soo nice.

I stepped into the dormitory, dressed in robes and ran a brush through my hair, before deeming it hopeless and braiding it loosely down my back.

He was already waiting with a bag when I got there.

"Come on! We are going to miss it," he whispered excitedly as we climbed out of the portrait hole. He quickly guided me up several flights of stairs before opening a door on the seventh floor corridor. _That's odd, it hadn't been there before…_ Only, the door didn't lead to a room, it led to a grassy classroom with no ceiling, or walls for that matter.

I looked over at Will: he was grinning at me, full of excitement.

"Surely you know this classroom. If you only think of the Order of the Phoenix…"

"Oh my goodness! Is this the Room of Requirement?" I gasped, suddenly realizing where we were.

He nodded and sat down in the middle of the room. I sat down next to him, and looked at him in wonderment.

"What? Come on! Any true Harry Potter fan would've looked for this on their first night!" he smiled and began pulling stuff out of his bag: a bag of Haribo gummy bears, Cheetos and two cans of Coke. I looked at the stuff as though it was treasure: I hadn't eaten Muggle junk food since I had arrived. Finally, he pulled out a telescope and began setting it up in front of us. I grabbed a handful of gummy bears and opened the can of Coke, rejoicing in the sensation of the prickly bubbles flowing down my tongue.

"Okay," he said, after he had finished adjusting the telescope. "Come over here… and look into the telescope."

"No shit," I replied, but crawled over and looked in anyways. The telescope had been focused on a bright constellation of stars; that I couldn't have seen normally. He placed his hand on my back and said,

"See that constellation? What does it look like to you?"

"I don't know. Maybe a bird?" I responded, willing my eyes not to look at him, and his perfect chest!

"That constellation is called Cassandra's Phoenix," he began, sitting back. I lifted my eyes from the telescope.

"You see, Wizard Legend states that, way back, when Witches and Wizards were only beginning to appear, Cassandra was a witch who fell in love with a Muggle. However, she knew that, in order for her race to survive, she had to marry a Wizard. She married this horrid wizard named Fiderico instead. What she didn't know, however, was that he had found out about her love for the Muggle man. In a jealous rage, Fiderico appeared in the man's dream and convinced him to wander to an empty cave, where Cassandra was supposedly waiting for him. She wasn't waiting for him, though, and Fiderico killed the man in cold blood. Cassandra noticed that the Muggle man wasn't around town, so she sent her faithful phoenix to search for him. Phoenixes never abandon their tasks, so he searched the earth for millennia, only to find that, well, he wasn't to be found. Some people still believe that he is searching for the Muggle man. But, the way my dad told the story, a High Warlock found him one day, and he gave the Phoenix an eternal place in the stars, among the other magical constellations," he recounted, his eyes glazing over, as though he was remembering something lost.

"That's such a sad story," I mused, wiping a stray tear from my lashes.

"Not really. It's a story of hope," he shook his head and leaned towards the telescope. "Watch this, it's beautiful."

I looked into the telescope and watched the constellation carefully. As the first tinge of pink appeared in the sky, the Phoenix constellation seemed to move and catch on fire. I gasped in wonder as it spread it wings and flew across the sky like the most beautiful comet.

"Rebirth," I said simply, lifting my eyes from the telescope.

"Rebirth," he replied, staring at me kindly. "Let's get back to the Common Room. Lexi and Amber must be worried about you."

I gathered up the food while he dismantled the telescope. We packed them in the bag hurriedly and rushed off to the Common Room. As we climbed in through the Portrait Hole, Will helping me gently, I saw that Amber was sitting on the couch trying to calm down Lexi, who was pacing nervously in front of her.

"Hey guys!" I called out and entered the Common Room, with Will holding my hand.

"Cora! Where the bloody hell were you? We freaked out when we got up and saw your bed. Empty! No note!" Amber stood up and ran over to hug Will and me. Her eyes were crazed.

Lexi, however, was standing by the fireplace, looking between Will and me in pure rage.

"WILLIAM KAYSER!" she shrieked striding angrily to Will, her hair literally in flames. Amber rolled her eyes and shot a jet of water at her hair.

"Thanks," Lexi grumbled and pointed at Will menacingly, who was cowering in a corner. "You. We need to talk. OUT!" He almost ran out of the portrait hole, Lexi following him close behind.

"Will?" I shouted, as he went rushing by me. _What the hell was that about? _

"Don't worry. She'll return him in one piece. I hope," Amber said consolingly, leading me to the armchair. "I saw the letter. Do you want to talk?"

I nodded and we began to talk.

Lexi's POV

I was going to murder that idiot.

I chased him into an empty classroom and locked the door behind me before rounding on him. I could feel my scalp getting hot, but, thanks to Amber, I was now fireproof. But wet. Very wet.

"What were you and Cora doing?" I asked pulling my wand out dramatically. I really couldn't do much to hurt him, but the Bat-Bogey Hex was my specialty. Or at least, bats in general were.

"N-n-nothing, I swear. I just saw her crying in the Common Room, and I felt bad, so I took her to see Cassandra's Phoenix in the morning. Just to cheer her up!" he muttered, but pulled his wand out defiantly in the end.

"So you saw her crying over her mum, and you decided to show her the most romantic constellation in the universe!" I practically screamed. _He's such a bloody idiot!_

"Umm, yes. But I just did it to make her feel better," he tried to smile, but it faltered when he saw my face.

"YOU OBLIVIOUS ASS! SHE LIKES YOU!" I yelled at him, causing the last bit of water to evaporate and my hair to catch on fire.

"Shit. She does?" he gasped, a worried look on his face.

"YES! WHY DO YOU THINK SHE ACTS ALL WEIRD AROUND YOU? SHE DOESN'T KNOW! But I swear, Will, if you don't stop this whole business NOW, I will tell her," I glared at him and his eyes narrowed.

"Please don't. I can't have anyone else finding out. If you hadn't been on that compartment…" he begged, his eyes wide.

"Yeah, then your life would be so much better, yada, yada. Believe me, I get that a lot," I rolled my eyes, and my hair fizzed out, falling wildly around my face.

"Just TRY not to confuse her so much. Cora's a smart girl, if you quit this behavior, she'll catch on after a while," I ran my hand through my hair and left the classroom, with Will just standing there, shocked.

_Geez, Lex, you need to control that anger of yours!_

**A/N: How'd I do? * ****wink, wink * Please review, flames as well as virtual hugs are welcome. You've gotta love Lexi, though…. Warning: I may not be able to update as regularly now that we've returned to a non-HSA schedule and exams are coming up(time to memorize those 3****rd**** declension Latin endings!), but please still check daily. Furthermore, I tend to update if people ask me to, so don't just write **_**cool**_** as your comment. That is definitely not cool. If you want a certain POV, tell me in your review as well, but Lexi, I mean-WOW! **


	8. Classes

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. Worst Friday ever coupled with exhausting weekend= no update for 2 days. Awesome chapter to make up for it though, and thank you to SkyeElf, im-the-doctor and AverytheElf for reviewing. Virtual hamburgers and fries! Raise your hands if you loved Cassandra's Phoenix! *raises hands * Oh, and im-the-doctor, I'm disappointed in you, you didn't catch my Muse hint in the last chapter title. Shame! This chapter is for my grandmother and the Quidditch fans out there. **

Aves' POV

Bex woke me up the next morning by poking me with her pencil.

"Whuddizit?" I mumbled into my pillow. I was no morning person.

"There's some creepy ghost dude waiting for you downstairs in the Common Room, Aves," she replied, chewing on the eraser.

"Tell him I'll be down in a minute," I groaned and sat up. It was just too early.

I slipped into my robes and hurriedly brushed my hair. While I was splashing water on my face, I noticed the prominent bags under my eyes. Crap.

Seth was waiting for me politely, as always, his long black trench coat waving as though there was a light wind.

"Good Morning, Aves," he smiled, his scar disappearing behind his smile.

"Hmph!" I grumbled and sat on the couch, pretending to be pissed. Of course, I had been pissed yesterday, but I couldn't hold a grudge for my life. I forgave everyone….

"Did I do something?" he asked drifting to me calmly. He didn't look bothered by my outburst; on the contrary, he looked as though he had thoroughly expected it.

"Where were you yesterday, in the Great Hall? I looked like a complete dumbass in front of my friends," I looked up at him, my eyes wide. His face fell, and he ran a hand through his long hair. He looked quite ashamed.

"I was there. I just chose not to be seen," he mumbled into his hand.

"Why?" I asked, raising a thin eyebrow. And then he lost it.

"You don't get it, do you? People are AFRAID of me, Avery! Look at me!" he yelled, flying away. I stood up and followed him.

"All I see is a very brave man, who cares too much to hurt those around him," I said softly, placing my hand on his nonexistent shoulder. It felt like ice.

He turned to look at me, and I saw that his eyes were wide in amazement.

"Thank you."

"Anytime, Seth. I have classes soon, and I want FOOD. Do you think they serve fried chicken and waffles?" I asked, my mouth watering. Don't ask me WHY I liked the combination, I just DID!

He grinned widely and followed me out the door.

Turns out, they did.

I piled the waffles and chicken high on my plate, as Seth watched me in disbelief. He had decided not to hide anymore, and was quite pleased to find that some of the girl upperclassmen seemed to take quite an interest in him.

"Told you so," I said, my mouth full with food.

"Shut up, smartass!" he said, punching me coldly through the shoulder.

Cora entered the Great Hall several minutes later and she waved my way. Strangely enough, Will seemed to be looking at Lexi in deep fear, and Amber wasn't anywhere to be seen. She ran over to me, pulling Lexi behind her. Will followed grudgingly.

"Hey!" she hugged me tightly. I grinned and sat up, revealing Seth, who was smiling shyly.

"Cora, Lexi, Will, this is Seth, the Ghost of Ravenclaw House," I introduced them, as Lexi and Will waved timidly. Cora, however, was staring at Seth in some sort of trance. Seth was whispering something hurriedly under his breath and staring at her the same way.

"No….not possible…Dumbledore promised…another?" he mumbled, before flying out of the Great Hall as swift as can be.

I rolled my eyes, and shook Cora gently, who seemed to still be somewhat out of it.

"So, what classes are you guys looking forward to?" she asked, as though we had been talking the entire time.

"Flying," Will and Lexi said at the same time, before glancing at me expectantly.

"Arithmancy," I answered, looking at them proudly. Will shook his head in disbelief.

"Ooooo, what period do you have it?" Cora asked, pulling out her schedule.

"Period 5," I smiled as I saw her schedule: we would have Arithmancy, DADA, Flying and Transfiguration together.

"Sit down, Dumbledore won't mind," I gestured around me, and they shrugged. People were sitting anywhere anyways. Lexi piled chicken, sausages, and bacon onto her plate and devoured them with ferocity, her sharper-than normal canines ripping the meat apart. Will, however, neatly piled 2 pancakes with syrup onto his plate and began eating them with better manners than I'd ever seen ANYONE use. What a strange boy.

I frowned as I remembered Seth.

_What the bloody hell was up with him?_

Aidan's POV

"Dude, WAKE UP!" Alec yelled in my ear, causing me to wake up with heart palpitations.

"What the hell, Alec! Is this some sort of sick payback for yesterday?" I asked, as he floated by his ankle helplessly in front of me.

"Precisely. It's also an intervention, because we have a half-hour before class and I'm bloody effin' starving!" he groaned as the blood rushed to his head, "Pretty please let me down!"

"Fine. I guess it wouldn't hurt now," I shrugged and he fell, swearing profusely in a heap in front of me. I laughed, but helped him up and we proceeded to the Great Hall for breakfast. Cora was there, chatting animatedly with the guy in front of her. I felt my face darken as I recognized him: Will. The guy from the trolley. There was no way in hell I was going to be beat by some pretty boy. Cora noticed me and waved happily at me, her face simply saying, "I wish you could be here." I smiled sadly, before sitting at the Slytherin table, where Isabella was already discussing something heatedly with one of her friends.

"Morning, boys. This is Jordan," she gestured at the girl next to her. She had white-blond hair, straight as corn silk, down to her waist and the steeliest grey eyes. She didn't look happy to be there, but no one at Slytherin ever was. We were the outcasts, marked because of what our ancestors had done. Automatically, we were considered evil scum, before anyone took a second look at us. It was true that we were unpleasant and maybe even mean, but we always had our reasons. Isabella looked at me, and I nodded.

"She's going to help us with our little…scheme today. Jordan, take it away," she smiled at me evilly, and my blood ran cold.

"We have flying today, which gives us an perfect opportunity to pull this off. My brother's told me that Professor Batkai tends to work with students who need it the most, giving us a clear window in which to dispatch of HIM. While she is working with Alec, who'll pretend to be clueless on a broom, Aidan and Isabella are going to try and knock him off his broom. I'll be somewhere else, using my, erm, abilities to trip him up a little. Understand?" Jordan explained, looking at me closely, as though she could sense my doubts.

"How do I know that I can trust you?" I asked, lowering my voice. No one would find out about this.

"You don't. But I can guarantee you, he will not dare to mess with you again," she stood up arrogantly and walked away, sensing my giving in. I grimaced and turned away, looking at Alec. He didn't quite seem…mentally aware until I hit him over the back of his head, and he choked on his pumpkin juice.

"Do that one more time and you die," he said simply, vice-grabbing my arm.

"Chill, man. You fazed again," I commented, raising my hands in defense. His eyes darkened and he looked at Isabella in pure hatred. She smiled sweetly back at him before reaching into her bag and pulling out her schedule to compare it with mine.

"Oh, yay! We have Potions together!" she exclaimed, causing Cora to look at me strangely from the Ravenclaw table, where she was sitting next to Aves.

"What the hell, Isabella?" I looked at her and she leered.

"All part of the plan, sweetie. All part of the plan," she stood up and sauntered out of the Great Hall, shooting Cora a dirty look.

"Dude, I swear. I have no idea what goes on in that chick's head sometimes," Alec shook his head and looked at my schedule.

"Shit. We have Snape first, and he hates people being late. Geddup, we're gonna have to run!" Alec gasped as he stuffed a piece of toast in his mouth and ran out of the Great Hall, with me on his heels.

We reached the dungeon classroom a few minutes later, but still a minute late. Alec and I gulped before knocking on the door and entering the steamy classroom.

"Tut-tut, Misters…?" Snape said, turning slowly from the board to sneer at us.

"Carmicheal and Vestey," Alec gasped, his hand clutching his diaphragm. I glared at Snape, before glancing around the classroom. I noticed that we were apparently having Potions with none other than Gryffindor house. Cora was trying not to laugh at my sweaty, angry face while the girl beside her kept turning the cauldron fire off and on with a blink of her eye. Cool.

"Well, then. Amazing how my own house came later than the Gryffindors. Detention, Vestey. Carmicheal clearly has a medical condition," Snape drawled at me, before pointing at two empty seats.

"Mr. Carmicheal, you may sit by Ms. Stone, and Mr. Vestey, the seat by Mr. Kayser shall be yours," he turned around and continued his notes on the board. The hasty scratching of quills filled the dungeon as Alec sat down next to Jordan and I walked to the front of the class to sit down next to… Shit. Not him.

It was Will.

"Pull out your copies of Magickal Draughts and Potions and flip to page 7. There you will find a recipe for one of the simplest potions: the Boil Cure Potion. You will work in the pair at your table. All ingredients may be found in the closet. You have thirty minutes," Snape instructed, and sat down behind his desk, smirking my way. Will turned to me and held out his hand.

"I'm Will. You must be Aidan, Cora's told me all about you. It's nice to meet you."

"Sod off. Just because we're partners, doesn't mean I have to like you. Get the ingredients and I'll try to get the fire going," I snapped at him, and his eyes narrowed. He sat up and stomped over to the closet, where he was lost in the mass of people.

My big fingers kept fumbling over the matches and I turned to look at Cora. She and her partner already had the brew going and she was reading instructions aloud. Once my eyes wandered to her, her head snapped up and I gestured helplessly at my cauldron. She grinned and elbowed her partner, who narrowed her eyes at the cauldron, before mentally lighting a fire underneath it. I mouthed a quick thank you before turning around. Snape was smirking my way.

"15 points from Gryffindor, Ms. Dracul. For assisting another classmate in cheating."

Will threw the ingredients on the table and pulled the chair underneath him.

"Okay, I got the dried nettles, crushed snake fangs, Flobberworm mucus, stewed horned slugs, and porcupine quills. Says here we're supposed to heat the cauldron at full temperature until it's red."

"Fine," I said and stood up to stir it. It became red almost immediately and I read the next set of instructions, which instructed me to heat it until it's green. I continued stirring, and it turned green a mere 5 seconds later. Will gently poured in the Flobberworm Mucus, until the potion turned pink, when I began stirring again, waiting for it to become orange. Once it was orange, he added the nettles, and left the stick to stir itself (with some help from my powers) until it became green, then blue. Will added the snake fangs and the potion turned pink, at which point I quickly added the Porcupine quills, which made the potion turn orange again. Finally, Will poured the slugs and it turned turquoise, and we waited until it turned red. Just in time too, because Snape called time several seconds later.

"Let us see exactly what you fidgety first-years have managed to screw up this time," he smirked and began to walk around, starting with my potion.

"Acceptable, Vestey. No doubt Mr. Kayser did the majority of the potion," he marked off our names on the clipboard and Will looked at me in anger. I shot him an arrogant smirk before looking at Cora, who was smiling compassionately. Damn, I loved that girl.

Snape continued around the room, before stopping at Cora's, which was emitting a light pink steam. Snape bent his crooked nose over her brew and raised an eyebrow.

"At least one of you dimwits got the potion mostly right. Next time, remember to let the potion become FULLY colored before adding any ingredients. However, you receive 10 points to Gryffindor for a job quite well done," he added, a slight, no, _smile_ on his face. I couldn't believe my eyes. Cora smiled widely and mumbled a quick thank you.

"Homework: 10-inch long essay on the properties of Flobberworm Mucus in healing potions, such as the Boil Cure, due on Friday!" Snape dismissed the class and we hurried out, Alec grabbing my robes and tugging me away towards Hagrid's cabin before I had a chance to call Cora. I glared at him, but he gave me a clear, "it's-better-this-way," look and shrugged.

We neared Hagrid's cabin about 5 minutes later to find the class waiting by the pumpkin patch. I spotted Aves sitting on a small pumpkin with her face buried in the textbook, and I grinned. She was a headache, but quite fun to be around._ Plus I need to put my plan into action…_ I thought, glancing at Alec, who was chewing on a piece of blue gum.

"Hey, Aves!" I yelled, and she glanced up at me. Her face broke out into a wide grin, and she skipped over to us.

"Hey, Aidan! Who's this?" she asked, hugging me tightly as she looked up at Alec, who was a good head and a half taller than her. I elbowed him, and he glared at me before looking down, with his eyes wide.

"Aves, this is Alec. Alec, this is Aves," I introduced them and Alec smiled widely, his eyes twinkling. Oh, the joy of being right…

And then Hagrid came out of the Forest, leading four or five ivory unicorns by a loose rope. Aves gasped and shut the book, pushing it into her bag.

"Mornin' class!" Hagrid greeted us, smiling kindly at Aves, who was ready to jump up and down. Alec was looking at her dreamily, still.

"Good Morning, Professor," we recited and sat down on whatever was near: pumpkins or the mossy ground.

"Well, then. Thought we might do sumthin' a bit fun fer our firs' lesson, so here y'all are: Unicorns!" he gestured behind him and the girls gasped. I rolled my eyes, but even I had to admit, they were some of the most beautiful things I had ever seen: right up there with Cora.

"Gorgeous, aren't they?" I heard Alec whisper to Aves, and she laughed softly, looking at me thankfully.

"'Kay then. Get inter groups of 'bout 3, take a unicorn and try ter feed it some of them apples," Hagrid instructed, before sitting on the chair and peeling some potatoes.

"How about we be a group?" Alec asked and he grinned when we nodded. He and Aves stepped forward, and I saw her gently whispering in the unicorn's ear before removing its rope. Alec looked at her like she was insane, but it followed her calmly to the basket and laid itself down by the pumpkin patch patiently. I levitated several apples into a neat pile next to her and she beamed before gesturing to Alec, who treaded cautiously towards the unicorn before flopping down beside her. He grabbed a couple apples and tried to juggle them but failed epically as soon as they began landing on his head. She smiled knowingly and placed a finger to her lips. Grabbing an apple of the ground, she pulled out her wand and cut it into several neat slices, of which she gave half to Alec. Then she gently held out her hand, with the apples, in front of the unicorn's mouth and whispered something again. Alec was staring wide-eyed as the unicorn stuck out a gray tongue and swept the apples swiftly into his mouth. She smiled and gestured for Alec to try, and he did, sticking his arm out blindly.

"Quite an expert 'round animals, ain't she?" I heard a deep voice behind me, and I saw Hagrid standing over me, his eyes knowing.

"Yeah…Oh, no sir. She's just a friend," I stammered, looking up at him.

"Really? That's too bad. Here, you can help me take care of Fang. He's a creature within 'imself!" Hagrid smiled and whistled loudly. A large, slobbering boarhound exited the house and tackled me violently, licking every inch of my face.

"Get off 'im, you dozy dog!" Hagrid bellowed, yanking Fang off by his collar, allowing me to sit up.

"He needs a bit 'a exercise, so just grab his rope and play tug o' war with 'im," Hagrid instructed and handed me a rope as thick as my arm. I dragged it over to the field, Fang following me close behind. I stood square, my hands gripping the rope tightly just as he began pulling. It was like pulling a rearing hippogriff, and I began to slowly steady myself, pulling backwards. Suddenly, Hagrid whistle for Fang, and he let go, sending me sprawling into the mud. Alec saw this and left Aves for a second to help me up and clean my robes.

"_Scourgify!" _he yelled, slashing his wand upwards, and leaving clean robes where he waved. Aves noticed and walked over to see what happened, the unicorn following her close behind.

"That's some pretty neat spellwork, Alec," she commented, helping him scourge my robes.

"Can you two lovebirds quit it for a bloody moment?" I yelled, my face turning beet red. This wasn't supposed to happen this quickly.

"Do you admit to attempting to set us up, then, Aidan? Because I'm quite tired of acting all smitten. It's not my style," Aves commented off-handedly, as I whirled around. Her hands were on her hips, and her lips bore an amused smirk. Alec, on the other hand, was grinning widely and trying desperately not to laugh at my outraged face.

"Sod. Off. Both of you!" I shoved Alec playfully and patted Aves on the head, causing her to kick me painfully in the shins.

"Oi! C'mere class! Yer homework is to study unicorn care, as we'll begin healing wounds and such on 'em tomorrow! Now, go! Scatter!" he bellowed, gesturing with his hands wildly, causing a Hufflepuff student to have to duck dramatically every 10 seconds.

"See you guys later!" Aves yelled, as she grabbed her bag and ran off towards the castle.

"Vengeance is sweet," Alec sighed, as he gathered his things and began walking away.

"Dumbass," I muttered under my breath. I saw their faces. It was no joke.

_Am I really that gullible?_

Cora's POV

Our fourth period came really quickly. Charms class basically constituted of the teacher showing us how to do proper repairing charms, which we had nearly mastered by the end of class. Lexi seemed to be quite adept at this charm, attributing that to the fact that her mom had to use the charm a lot, considering her total lack of coordination.

And then came the class I was really looking forward to: Flying.

All of the first years stepped out onto the empty Quidditch field, where a fairly young witch was standing around a thin box.

"All right then, first years. I'm Professor Batkai, your new Flying teacher this semester. If you'll do me a favor and line up right here please, we'll get started," she smiled widely as everyone lined up. Her hair was cut short, and pixie like and her vividly purple eyes followed us like a radar. I stood next to Lexi and Aves, with Aidan and his friends, Alec, Isabella and Jordan. I would never tell him this, but I didn't like any one of them except for Alec, who was really funny, but kind of secluded. Isabella was bitchy as all hell. On Lexi's right, Will was standing nervously as well as Amber who seemed to be busy making the dew drops on the grass float. Prof. Batkai stepped forward, carrying the thin box and handed it to the first person on the right.

"In that box, you will each find a broomstick. Please pull ONE out and pass it to the person next to you," the teacher instructed, pulling on a pair of gloves. When the box passed by, I reached in, only to find that there were hundreds of brooms in there. I pulled one out and continued passing it around. The brooms weren't much, nothing like those I had seen in Diagon Alley, but they were swift and aerodynamic enough. And then it hit me: the box had an Undetectable Extension Charm. I had to remember to check a book on that, it'd be cool to learn.

Prof. Batkai instructed us on the basics: how to grip a broom, turn, fly, and land. Then she split us into two teams and ordered us to simply fly around the field until we got a hang of it, while she helped others individually. Almost instantaneously, Lexi, Amber, Isabella, Jordan, and Aidan pushed of into the air and began circling us like hawks. Alec went over to get individual help. Weird, he looked to be in a trance. I looked over at Aves and Will: they looked terrified as all hell. Finally, Aves kicked off gracefully and twirled into the sky. She was utterly graceful, like a hummingbird.

"You comin', Will?" I asked him, looking over my shoulder as I mounted the broom.

"In a bit, yeah. "Have to, uh, tie my shoe," he said, bending down hurriedly. Both his shoes were tied.

And then I pushed off.

It was the most amazing sensation, ten times better than skiing or swimming. You felt as though you were free. The broom responded like a bike would in real life, except you could go up and down as well. I began to twirl and dive, rejoicing in the feel of the cool fall wind on my face. I only noticed afterwards that Aves was following me. I tried to shake her, but she stayed straight on me, not losing focus for a second. Suddenly, though, she stopped in mid-air and began to float in the opposite direction. Jordan, the Slytherin girl who seemed to be friends with Isabella began chasing me, into tight circles and deep dives. I flew higher, into cloud cover and she stopped following me. Gently, I sunk myself downwards to see what was happening. Aidan and Isabella had teamed up against Will, who was now in the air, but wickedly off balance and staring into the opposite direction. Lexi and Aves were nowhere to be seen and Amber had gone off to find them. I yelled at Aidan to stop, but he didn't hear me. He continued a beeline towards Will, and just at the last moment he pulled the broom up violently. Will veered for several seconds before simply slipping off his broom.

I screamed and my instincts kick in. I dove quickly, below him and manage to catch him on my broom mid-flight. I hadn't calculated his weight however, and soon we were both falling through the air and towards the ground. It kept nearing my head, closer and closer. I felt my head nearly burst with a splitting headache and I saw a thin shield form under me. _Dumbledore,_ I thought, _he's here._ It wasn't Dumbledore.

And then everything went black.

**A/N: How'd I do? Guesses on who mystery savior is? How 'bout whether or not Aves and Alec were faking it. Any opinions on new character Jordan? Review please! Flames as well as hugs are welcome. Next chapter should go up tomorrow. Keep on checking, my loyal viewers. Even if there are only 3….**


	9. Newid

**A/N: I loved the reviews from last chapter, and I'm sorry for the rushed chapter. Maybe this chapter'll explain a bit (I was soo excited). Thanks to weirdgiraffe, my newest reviewer and loyal follower. Welcome to the club, and many hugs as well as…wait for it…oh yes…virtual homemade french-fries to AverytheElf, SkyeElf, im-the-doctor and weirdgiraffe. Enjoy this chapter, cuz I loved writing it! This one is for Susan, who always believed that there's a little more to Snape…**

Cora's POV

I woke up in the hospital wing, with none other than Albus Dumbledore standing over me, a worried twinkle in his eyes. I had no idea how long I'd been there. Days? Weeks?

"Professor, sir? What's happened to me?" I managed to ask, before my head began burning again and I had to shut my eyes again. I had never experienced pain like this before. It was as though someone had cracked my head open and spilled hydrochloric acid in the wound. I could hear every sound as though it was amplified and I thought I would hurl, if it weren't for the fact that I hadn't eaten in a while. In fact, my stomach was empty, but I knew that food could do me no good. My fingertips were tingling, similar to pins and needles, but not quite the same sensation. It felt more like there were millions of little strings attached to my fingers and every other object in the room. My ring finger twitched and I heard a loud crash, which sounded like a cannon through my sensitive ears.

"I'd rather you stayed still, Ms. Rattigan," Dumbledore said kindly, his voice just soft enough.

"What's happened to me?" I repeated, my voice becoming desperate. I was scared. What had they done to me?

"We haven't done anything to you, my dear. However, I'm afraid the full explanation will have to wait until you are recovered and perhaps put under the influence of a Stemming Draught, which I believe Snape has brewed up especially Lemon-Lime flavored for you. You've left quite an impression on him, I must say," I heard the smile in his voice.

"How long?" I asked, my voice breaking. I heard someone else enter the room, wearing a heavy cloak that billowed wildly.

"Headmaster, I have the Stemming Draught, it should take effect in several minutes, but it won't last that long under her circumstances," I heard Snape whisper in Dumbledore's ear.

"With all due respect, Professor Snape, I can everything you are saying," I commented, tired of the meager mood around me. Once an optimist, always an optimist.

I heard them chuckle quietly.

"5 points from Gryffindor, , for your cheek," he said quietly, slowly stepping towards my bed and pouring a viscous fluid in a glass.

"Naturally, Professor," I smiled and tried to sit up, only to hear another bang from the opposite side of the room, "Sorry, Headmaster."

"It is alright, my dear, to make mistakes when one cannot think rationally. It is a bad sign when one can think rationally but still make mistakes," he replied and I heard his wand wave. I felt my body ache less, but my head continued to hurt just as badly.

"Now, Ms. Rattigan, you must listen to me carefully. Professor Snape will give you a Stemming Draught, which should relieve your headache. However, I ask that you wait until I say so to get up, allowing me to place a certain Shield Charm around you. Do you understand me?" he asked, his voice more haggard than before.

"Yes, Headmaster," I replied, my voice gaining some strength. I felt Snape approach me tentatively and place a small glass on my lips. I forced myself to drink the substance, which tasted surprisingly like my mother's sparkling mint lemonade, and felt the headache begin to dissipate. Slowly, the quietest noises began to fade, until I could hear like I used to.

"You may get up now," Dumbledore said, and I opened my eyes. The hospital wing looked like a battlefield, with various items strewn all over the ground, broken into a million pieces. Dumbledore must have sensed my regret, because he placed a wrinkled hand on my shoulder and said,

"You did much better than the last one. Last time, he almost demolished this entire room."

"The last one? Whatever do you mean?" I asked, sitting up and looking at my hands. They were healed and looked just as they always did. Then I remember what had landed me here.

"Sir, where's Will?" I asked Dumbledore as Snape pulled me out of the bed.

"Who? Ah, our young Mr. Kayser?" Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at me, and I nodded.

"St. Mungo's, I'm afraid. However, I am told he is making a speedy recovery, and should be returning soon." _Oh my god. I got Will in St. Mungo's. What have I done?_

"Abra!" Dumbledore yelled and a house-elf appeared at the door to the hospital wing. She was short, with long ears covered by thick, black hair. Her wide eyes were kind, and she wore a simple blue dress covered by an apron as well as a single ring on her finger.

"Yes, sir, Dumbledore, sir?" she asked, in a voice slightly reminiscent of Aves'.

"I need you to apparate young Ms. Rattigan here to my study, please. And perhaps you could bring her some food as well? Thank you, Abra, that will be all," Dumbledore said kindly and bowed his head to her before smiling at me and leaving the wing with Snape by his side.

"Will Miss please take Abra's hand?" she asked me politely, holding a long hand out to me.

"Thank you, Abra, you're very kind," I said as I took her hand. My body felt as though it was squeezed into a tight tube and thrown across space until I finally arrived in Dumbledore's office. Abra curtsied lightly to me before promising to return with food in several minutes, and disappearing with a loud pop.

Dumbledore's office was…grand. There just wasn't any other word for it. The floors were made of the brightest white marble, which reflected everything along the walls and ceiling. In the front of the room, the circular walls were covered in the portraits of the headmasters before Dumbledore. I recognized some of them, including Phineas Nigellus and Everard. The walls were covered in various bookshelves filled with the oddest assortment of books. They were beautiful, in any case, but that wasn't what caught her eye. It was the phoenix, sleeping under its wing towards the center of the room. _It's Fawkes._

"Yes, my dear. That is Fawkes, my loyal phoenix," Dumbledore's voice came from behind her. He was holding a bottle full of that same viscous liquid and he stepped forward to sit at his desk, his free hand indicating that I should follow him. I sat down on one of the armchairs facing the desk and shook my hair back. It always got into my eyes. Dumbledore sat down and cleared his throat, before crossing his hand delicately in front of him and beginning.

"Cora, what do you know of paraxenes?" he asked me. I hadn't expected that question.

"Not much, sir. However, my friends did tell me that paraxenes are witches or wizards with powers beyond the normal realm. Also, there's some sort of Class system to organize paraxenes by their powers, with Class 7 being the most powerful," I recalled Aidan and Aves trying to explain the concept to me. _How much of al of this do they know?_

"Do you know how witches and wizards become paraxenes?" he asked me, peering over his spectacles as I shook my head slowly. He smiled and stood to pull a rather large book from the bookcase behind him.

"Ahhh, here we are. Paraxenes, my dear, are born with their powers. It is extremely rare for a muggle-born to be a paraxene, for it is a trait passed down from parents to their children. A paraxene's powers are an extension of their most powerful character traits. For example, one of my strongest traits is my ability to read people around me. Thus, as a baby, I was born with the ability to read people's minds," Dumbledore explained, waving a stray hand over the book and it shut itself. _X-Ray eyes! Harry wasn't kidding! Wait, he knows what I'm saying! Shit. _Dumbledore pretended not to notice.

"Classes were introduced in the late 1800's, when keeping track of the growing number of paraxenes was becoming difficult, and anti-paraxene power spells had not yet been invented. I am a Class 5 paraxene, more commonly known as a Reader. Class 6 paraxenes are relatively rare, and they are known as the Manipulators and the Drainers. Class 7 paraxenes, however, occur extremely rarely. The last time I saw a Class 7 was 15 years ago, and none since," Dumbledore explained as I listened intently.

"Sir, I'm quite confused. What does any of this have to do with me?" I asked waving a hand over the desk. I watched the quills turn over and an inkpot knock itself over. Dumbledore was staring deep into my eyes, and didn't seem to notice.

"My dear Cora, it has EVERYTHING to do with you!" he exclaimed quietly, his eyes looking around.

"How so?" I asked defiantly, my voice trembling. He was seriously creeping me out.

"YOU are a Class 7, my dear! You are a Newid!" he stood up and whispered to a painting quickly before turning to me. I was glued to my seat, my eyes glazed over, as I tried to comprehend what he had just told me.

"Sir, you must be mistaken. I am no Newid, I don't even know what that is!" I shook my head and looked at him angrily while he smiled calmly.

"Then how can you be sure that you're not one? My dear, I see your thoughts. I know you've always thought you were different," he whispered quietly, before pulling a glass out of the cabinet and handing it to me, full of the viscous Stemming Draught Snape had given me earlier.

"Please drink. I'd rather my office not be destroyed," he smirked at me youthfully and I was reminded of Will, when he was showing me Cassandra's Phoenix.

"I don't understand. You said that I was born with these powers, but I haven't done anything like this before," I gulped the drink down and set it aside, feeling the buzzing in my head die down again.

"Unfortunately, I can't quite explain that. But I know someone who might," he sat on his chair and a ghost appeared in front of the door.

He looked familiar, with a handsome face mostly disfigured by a face-long scar on his right face. His eyes were melancholy as he floated my way, his long hair flying behind him. I noticed that he was wearing muggle clothes, including a dark, leather trench coat and a pair of army boots. Suddenly, I remembered where I had seen him before: the Great Hall, during the breakfast of our first day. It was Seth, the Ghost of Ravenclaw House.

"Hello, Cora. I'm Seth Wilcox, the Ghost of Ravenclaw House," he looked up at me and I gasped. I felt my heart jump in recognition: he was, or had been, a Newid too! His eyes narrowed as he felt my pang of recognition too, though he didn't seem excited about it. Instead, he flew over to Dumbledore angrily and began yelling.

"You SWORE to me, Dumbledore. You SWORE that your little spell would be enough to prevent anyone from ever going through what I went through again! Yet, today, another stands before us, completely oblivious to the hell she is doomed for!" he screamed, pointing at me.

"Wait, what hell?" I asked, raising my hand timidly. _Yeah, right, Core. Like that's going to help whatsoever._

"Cora, you are a Newid. Newids are Class 7 paraxenes because they can control EVERYTHING and EVERYONE. We are the ultimate beings, and therefore ultimately doomed to a life of anguish and betrayal. Newids have an extreme amount of mind power, and we are known for being extremely intelligent and wise. We are usually sorted into Ravenclaw House, and as far as I know, you are the first to enter another House. Here, I'll even prove it to you!" he exclaimed and flew to my side swiftly. Dumbledore was watching him warily, his eyes hurt. Seth had obviously been hurt in a great way. How, I didn't know yet. Seth descended to my level and looked me in the eyes, his scar showing vividly against his skin.

"Do guys act strangely around you? Have you ever had a day in which you simply WANTED to be left alone, and everyone avoided you by a mile? And did you ever get angry and have something on the opposite side of the room break into a million pieces?" he asked me urgently, a sad smile on his face. I opened my mouth to object, but closed it almost immediately. The truth was, the answer to all of his questions was YES. I remembered how Aidan was acting around me, the first day I met him. The day when my grandmother had died and I wanted everyone to leave me alone. Only now did I notice how extremely they had been acting around me. And finally, when I had received my mum's letter and I had left the Common Room in almost utter destruction. A wave of recognition shuddered through me, carrying away all the old questions and bringing in over a hundred new ones.

"But what happened on the Quidditch Field? And why did my powers break out then?" I asked quietly, collapsing on an overstuffed armchair, with Seth floating next to me. Dumbledore scratched his beard thoughtfully before looking at us intently.

"Newids only reveal themselves when their Possessor, or they person who has the powers, is in great danger. As for what happened on the Field, I have gathered that you fell, but you emitted a strong shield in mid-air saving you from most injuries, but causing young Mr. Kayser to crash into the stands. That splitting headache you felt was the mental block being lifted from you mind. Newids use nearly 100% of their brainpower, something that our bodies aren't usually accustomed to. You were simply adjusting to the jump in neuron usage, you were only using about 10 percent before," he explained, leaning against his hand.

"Sir, I've never been able to control my powers. How will I be able to now?" I asked, my eyes wide and afraid. Seth answered my question.

"You won't be able to, I'm afraid. At least not in the beginning," he stated simply, glaring at Dumbledore. I covered my mouth and laughed lightly as they stared at me quizzically.

"Pardon. I just never thought anyone could hate Dumbledore as you do, Seth."

"I don't hate him. I simply don't believe in his…off-handed approach. Remember, Cora, I was a Newid. Look at me now," Seth gestured to his face and I shut up. _Wow, big mouth much, Core?_

"Until you gain full control of your powers, Professor Snape has been happy to continue brewing a Stemming Draught, to be consumed every hour. In addition to that, you will begin tri-weekly lessons with Seth and myself, to help you hone and control your powers," Dumbledore explained, Seth shooting me a huge grin. I grinned back. Maybe, just maybe, with their help I could control this.

"Unfortunately, too many witnessed the Field Incident, so it can't be a secret," Seth patted me on the back. My shoulder felt like it was being doused in ice water and I shuddered. He pulled away and shot me a sheepish grin.

"Sir, it's not that I don't enjoy the hospital wing… but would it be okay if I moved back into my dormitory?" I pleaded with Dumbledore and he nodded silently. I jumped up and hugged him, pulling away quickly after I felt him clear his throat.

"Sorry, sir," I looked at my shoes and heard him laughing. He looked young when he laughed, his beard shaking with the force of his chortling. I smiled and headed out the door, with Seth on my heels. And then I remembered my question.

"Professor, how long have I been out?"

Dumbledore took off his glasses and sighed,

"Two weeks."

I was still shocked as Seth accompanied me to the Common Room, maintaining a watchful eye on my hands, which were shaking quite violently. He tried to deter my thought as far away from my new discovery as possible, but I had bigger things on my mind. Well, at least one in particular.

"Seth, what happened to you that was so bad?" I asked, leaning against the wall. The sconces on the wall held long torches, which burnt brightly. The windows showed the bright stars outside being reflected across the Black Lake and a thick plume of smoke rising from Hagrid's Hut. It looked to be late, around midnight at least.

"When I was fifteen, my best friend and I fell in love with the same girl. She never liked him, but he became vengeful and rounded on me. He was a Class 6, a Drainer, and he thought that I had used my powers to trick her into liking me. We had a great battle out on the lawn, and I surrendered. He drained my powers, not listening to my warnings, and murdered me on the spot. I should've fought him, because he grew insane, and was eventually admitted into St. Mungo's. He married her, though, before his admittance and during one of his outburst he accidentally killed her. I visited her funeral as a ghost: she was as beautiful as ever. He can't die, because part of me is embedded in him. I have cursed him to a life worse than death," he looked at me gravely, tears shining opaque on his silvery skin.

"Oh, Seth. I'm so sorry," I gasped, looking at his face. _I really shouldn't…_

"What about your scar?"

"He slashed it into my face, before murdering me. Called it, 'an eternal symbol of your betrayal'," he shook his head and gestured towards the portrait hole.

"Quidditch tryouts are tomorrow. From what I've heard, you won't want to miss them," he smirked and bowed to me before lowering his voice and leaning towards me,

"Be careful, Cora. Gryffindors are known for being too trusting, and you MUST be on you guard!" He blinked and disappeared in front of my eyes, leaving me in front of the portrait hole, alone.

"Password?" the Fat Lady asked me, cutting her rendition of "Friday" short.

"Erm," I stammered. _Great, now I would have to sleep on the floor. _

"_Cavefacio,_" I heard Prof. Andersonn say behind me. I turned around and smiled at her, though she was staring glumly at me.

"Please be careful, Cora. The life of a Newid does not only impact the Newid, it also impacts those around her. Believe me, I would know," she placed a hand on my shoulder and turned away, walking down the corridor swiftly.

I entered the dorm minutes later, amongst Lexi's lumberjack snores and the sound of Amber's steady breathing. I collapsed gently on my bead, wrapping the curtains tightly around my bed, and stared at the dark ceiling. _How would Prof. Andersonn know? _

Tomorrow was going to be hell, I knew that.

But at least I could have peace now.

Little did I know that it would be the last bit of peace I would get for a long, long time to come.

**A/N: Well, how'd I do? What do you guys think of our newest development? Any guesses on Prof. Andersonn's personal involvement with a Newid? It's quite the surprise. Please review, I can't believe I have over 20 reviews already. To those of you who have some influence in the FanFiction world, I'd greatly appreciate pointing people to this story. New perspectives are intoxicating, and help soo much with the story. As always, flames as well as hugs are welcome… well, what are guys still doing staring at the screen? Don't make me set Lexi on you!**


	10. Quidditch

**A/N: Thank you for the kind reviews on last chapter. Loved all you theories...soo hilarious! Thank you to weirdgiraffe, AverytheElf, and SkyeElf for reviewing last chapter. im-the-doctor, I is disappointed. This is a happier chapter, shows Cora's interaction more than anything else... Virtual burritos to everyone! Sorry for updating so late, my Honor Society thing ran late... This chapter is for all my friends, who lift the weights of MY shoulders.**

Aves' POV

I was woken up by a cold punch through the stomach. Seth was standing over my bed, his fist by his head. Oddly enough, he looked worried, as though he didn't know what would happen next. I glared at him and got up, shaking my hair back, giving me space to tie it up high. He turned away as I changed into my shorts and My Chemical Romance t-shirt and stuck my wand into the brim of my favorite green fedora. He led me downstairs before floating in front of me, causing me to walk straight into him. I cursed and backed out of him, drops of condensation sticking to my forehead.

"Okay, you got my attention. What's up?" I crossed my hands in front of my chest. I had been in a foul mood ever since Cora disappeared two weeks ago. It wasn't her fault; I was always in a foul mood when I was worried sick!

"Aves, Cora's back," he whispered in my ear but held out a hand, sensing my hasty mood.

"Seth, you have precisely 30 seconds to spit out everything you want to say, before I storm out of here and never talk to you again," I threatened, pursing my lips. It was an empty threat, though, and he sensed it.

"Aves, Cora's a Newid. That incident on the Field was her Outburst. She's going to need a really good friend, one that could keep her safe. She needs you," he looked at me earnestly. He wasn't telling me something, but I wanted to go to Cora. I sensed something extraordinary about her, so he Outburst didn't come as a surprise. But Seth was right. She needed a friend. Me. So I nodded at Seth and sprinted out of the portrait hole and to the Gryffindor tower. While on my way there, I passed Aidan and his cronies, laughing at something Alec had done. _Don't do it, Aves…_

We knew what he had done, and I had a feeling that so did Cora. It was even worse with Will still at St. Mungo's and her just out of the hospital. My temper flared. I slowed my pace and walked over, a fist forming in my pocket.

"Morning, asshole. Thought you might want to know that Cora's back. Now you can apologize to her in person. But for the meantime, you can go to the hospital wing to deal with your nose," I smirked evilly and punched him square in the nose, relishing in the feel of broken cartilage and blood under my knuckles. _He deserved it._

Alec began cracking up, while Isabella yanked out a wand and got into a dueling position.

"Really, Izzzzz? Are you sure about that?" I asked, emphasizing the hissing sounds, pulling out my own and preparing for a brief duel. I had seen her during DADA. She could throw a couple of good curses, but blocking without paraxene powers was unnatural to her. Jordan stepped between us and shot me cold look.

"Come, Isabella. Don't sink to the level of filthy half-breeds," she sneered and laughed icily.

"Then I shall leave, before soiling your precious pureblood robes with your filthy principles," I bowed deeply, before sending a smile Alec's way. His eyes twinkled and he winked coyly at me before I skipped in the opposite direction.

I saw Cora sitting next to the Black Lake, skipping some stones absentmindedly, a book lying behind her. Lexi and Amber were trying to talk to her, but she waved them down. I stepped out onto the mossy field and began walking towards them, my hands casually stuck in my pockets. My neon-red hair fluttered around my head, making a sneak attack almost imperceptible. Sure enough, Amber spotted me as I passed the Whomping Willow, a good 500 yards away. She elbowed Lexi, who spotted me and immediately began sprinting in my direction. Due to her long legs, it only took her about 90 seconds to actually reach me.

"How's she taking it?" I asked, walking calmly back with Lexi towering above me. I hate being short.

"She won't tell us much. We know she's a Newid, and all, but she won't tell us why she's so bloody depressed! Amber suspects that she blames herself, you know, for what happened to Will," Lexi shrugged and noticed my outfit, "Aren't you cold?"

"I never get cold," I answered plainly, as we reached the shores. I stepped forward tentatively and sat down next to Cora, who was staring out over the Black Lake, her feet, barefoot, in the freezing water.

"Hey, Core," I whispered, placing my hand gently on her shoulder. She looked at me drearily and smiled sadly, before letting her emotions give in and hugging me tightly.

"I-didn't mean-to hurt him! It's-all-my-fault!" she gasped between sobs. I patted her on the back and pushed her away gently.

"Listen to me," I said, making her look me in the eyes. They were dark and melancholy, a deeper blue than usual.

"I was there. We all saw what happened: Aidan knocked him off the broomstick, and you dove down to save him. You're a hero, and Aidan's the ass. Plus, if you were the one responsible, then I'd have to go back in the castle and apologize to Aidan for breaking his nose. Which is definitely NOT at the top of my list!" I grinned and she laughed loudly. I sneezed, high-pitched and Lexi glanced at me, with her eyebrows raised.

"I thought you didn't get cold?" a smile crept to her lips, which she epically failed to cover up. I glared at her and showed her my palm,  
>"See this? This is the Wall of Shun, your new best buddy. You'll get to know quite well him as you continue to fail at making fun of me," I smirked and felt my nose twitch. Cora and Amber collapsed on the ground in laughter at this, and we forgot everything for several wondrous seconds.<p>

"Guys, there are Quidditch tryouts today, and I'd rather not be late," Lexi rolled her eyes regally and stood up, brushing the dirt off her black leggings and shaking back her curly mane of mahogany hair. I stared at her enviously: she was veela gorgeous, and she didn't look as though she put any effort into it. Her face was angled perfectly and her not-too plump lips were a perfect shade of pink. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I found countless things wrong with me: I was too skinny, too pale and my freckles looked like Dalmatian spots. Not to mention the fact that, at the age of 13, I still had the body of an anorexic eight-year old. This was to change when I turned 14 in April, of course, but I had no idea how I would turn out.

"Sheesh, Lexi-you're hopeless! Do you really think it's best if we take Cora out on the Quidditch field after what happened last time?" I whispered frantically, before turning to look at Cora nervously. She smiled brightly and stood up, pulling on her Converse and tying her hair into a ponytail. I stared at her quizzically: _what an oxymoron! _

"Whispering is kind of useless around me now, I can hear everything I want to. However, nothing would make me happier than Quidditch right now…except maybe NCIS, but there's no TV around here," she grinned and pulled a serene Amber out of her sitting position.

"Really?" I asked, staring at her guiltily. To tell the truth, I wanted to try out for Ravenclaw too, but I had pushed that out of my mind when I heard about Cora.

"Really," she replied, placing a bruised arm around my shoulders and gesturing behind her for Lexi and Amber to follow. Lexi did a little happy dance before following and Amber placed an earplug in her ear before striding calmly towards us. I heard DragonForce's, "Through the Fire and Flames," blast through her earphones and grinned widely. Amazing song.

Finally, I looked over at Cora, whose face bore an almost too-happy smile. Her eyes, however, were pained and worried, as deep as the darkest depths of the sea. She wasn't herself, but I knew that there was only one person who could convince her of her innocence: only problem was, he was in London. _I wonder what he's doing now…_

Will's POV

The last thing I remembered was falling off my broom and crashing against Cora, who had flown underneath me. _Lexi had been right: she likes me. Enough to risk her life to save my lousy ass. _

Then I had fallen through the air, a weird blue shield forming around Cora's body. I saw her gripping at her head and screaming in agony, but I didn't put two and two together fast enough. Next thing I knew, my body was flying back against the bleachers and a random book article came into my head before unconsciousness possessed me:

_Newid- A paraxene with extraordinary powers, allowing he/she to control anything and anyone. Outburst usually occurs when Newid is in mortal danger._

Cora was a Newid. No wonder people acted so strangely around her. Newids unknowingly controlled the people most affected by them. In her case, it was Aidan Vestey.

His name stung my tongue. I couldn't blame him for what had happened, because it had not been his idea. That plan reeked of Carmicheal. Isabella Carmicheal, to be exact.

I woke up at St. Mungo's about 2 weeks later, according to the Healer. I had been placed in the Paraxene Calamity Wing, but my room was generally empty except for the bed by the window. The bed was occupied by a circa thirty-year-old wizard named Hector Svikken.

I asked the Healer what had happened to him when she came in to bring me my medicine. She had glanced over at him worriedly before sitting on the chair across from me and sighing,

"He's a Drainer who tried to drain a higher class Paraxene. Poor guy just stays here, with no memory and a visitor a month, his sister or something," the Healer explained, her eyes tearing up. I couldn't blame her. Drainers were usually loners, secluded from society because of their gift. Or curse.

I thought of my mum. My poor astrophysicist mum, the victim of a Muggle mob. I had stayed angry with my dad for ages after that incident, but how could he have explained to a little nine-year-old that his mum was gone, never to return? I promised myself to be braver than him, I had promised myself to not become a spineless coward.

I had failed. I couldn't even tell him WHAT I was, let alone WHY. He'd never understand, mum had always been his soul mate. The hat put me in Gryffindor, but why? Cora needed a friend, even if it meant Lexi being constantly pissed at me. I could deal. I was going to recover from this and return, my head held high.

Cora's POV

The Quidditch pitch was packed with Gryffindor by the time we arrived. Lexi looked at the Captain quickly before cowering behind me.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit! Cora, look at the Captain!" she yelled softly into my ear and I glanced at him before snickering quietly behind my hand. It was none other than Jack, the prefect Lexi had blown off on our first night. Now that I saw him fully, I understood why Lexi had freaked: his chestnut hair was blown perfectly to the side and his playful gray eyes twinkled excitedly. To any girl on the field except for me, Aves and Amber, he seemed perfect, which greatly explained the countless gangs of giggling girls. _Lexi stands a much greater chance, at least she's no giggling bimbo!_

I turned around and looked at her jokingly, "Act the exact same way as last time, blow him off COMPLETELY. Then, towards the end, start warming up a bit to him, laughing at some of his jokes maybe." Amber and Aves looked at me questioningly, but I waved them off. I'd explain later.

"Got it. Thanks," she nodded and straightened up, a regal air about her. She smirked at me before stepping forward royally and staring Jack in the eye. _Damn, she's got guts!_

"Excuse me, we're here to try out," she placed her hands on her hips and leaning to the side.

"Well, hello again," he smiled charmingly and a girl actually fainted. I detected the slightest red blush on Lexi's face, but no one even noticed.

"Yeah, hi. Where do we sign in?" she asked, rolling her eyes, as he looked at her in total disbelief. He obviously wasn't used to that.

"By Chris, over there. Name and year please," he glared playfully at her and she turned proudly, signing her name on the sheet. I followed close behind and quickly scribbled my name on the list. Most of the people trying out were girls who wrote little hearts by their names, but I saw some guys who had scratched their names into the remaining space. I felt sorry for Jack- this didn't look promising.

"Okay, then! Gather 'round! Today we will be holding tryouts for a Beater, Chaser and Keeper. These are the already existing members of our team: Christine Baker, our Seeker; Nick Rodriguez, our Beater; and Adrian Li, our Chaser. And then there's me, of course, but I'm totally insignificant!" he grinned widely at Lexi, but she was busy checking her broom absentmindedly. He frowned slightly but regained his composure.

"To begin I'd like groups of ten to just fly around the pitch several times, just to see your flying skills. Out of each ten, about 3 will make it to the next round. First group, fly!" he instructed and Lexi joined the first group. She flew swiftly around the field, her body leaned over the broom in perfect posture. She led her group into dives and various other technical maneuvers, pulling one after the other off effortlessly. She landed with the remainder of the group, her hair looking windswept, but otherwise fine.

"Well, done! You, you and you get to continue. The rest of you, you tried hard, well done," Jack smiled kindly while pointing to Lexi, a short redheaded guy and a lanky, acne-ridden teen who looked to be 17.

My group was next and I mounted my broom elegantly. We kicked off of the grass powerfully and I felt the ecstasy of the wind through my hair and my mind going blank. The broom responded to every single one of my moves and I decided to try and ride without my hands. I gently let go of the broom, making sure that no one was around me. The sensation was thrilling, and I did a quick, hand-less loop before performing a deep dive and weaving around the goalposts. I landed simply, not as elegantly as Lexi had, but to rousing applause. Jack was standing, stunned, still looking at the sky as if to say, "Thank you, Merlin." Lexi ran over to me and yelled over the roaring crowd,

"Why didn't you tell me you could do a Sumbawanga Spiral? That's an amazingly difficult move!" I shrugged at her and smiled shyly.

"Quiet down! You, you and, obviously, you go on to the next round," he pointed to me last, as well as to a girl who only barely managed to avoid the hoops and a burly 16-year old who was surprisingly agile.

The last group went by quickly and we progressed to the final trials, Lexi still looking at me as though I was an alien.

"For the last part, you will each go through of a set of tasks designed to determine your position abilities. The person best suited for each position will receive the post," Jack explained, looking at me intently. Lexi was slightly put off, but brightened when he shot her a dazzling smile. I snickered. _I wasn't this weird around Will, right?_

The burly 16-year old went first, to the Keeper position, where Jack himself flew up and attempted to shoot several goals. The burly 16-year old blocked every single one, with an impressive save at the end, in which he looped backwards to block the goal. However, he failed the speed and weaving skills for the Seeker and Chaser positions, so he was recommended for Keeper and shown to the waiting area. Next it was Lexi's turn.

She sauntered over to the Chaser station and Jack raised an eyebrow. She waited with her hands across her chest for several seconds before grabbing the Quaffle herself and speeding vertically into the air. The 2 chasers, Jack and Adrian, followed her swiftly and they went through several difficult positions, the Beater attempting to hit her off the broom. Once, in order to avoid a well-aimed Bludger, she performed a Sloth Grip Roll, with a Quaffle tucked under her arm and shot the goal upside down! She landed gracefully and nodded to Jack, a slight smile on her face and walked over to the waiting area for Chasers. The other candidates performed fairly well, but none quite matched the skill of the first two contenders.

Finally, it was my turn. I mounted my broom and hovered in mid-air for a second before choosing the Beater station. Fred and George had always been some of my favorites. Jack and Adrian began flying in complicated patterns and the Bludgers were set loose on the field. Nick was flying around as well, but only to spectate and help me in pair maneuvers. I focused my eyes on the Chasers and placed myself strategically where the Bludgers were coming, listening for the impact instead of waiting to see it. This gave me several critical seconds in which to aim for the opposing Chaser and disorient him as well. I aimed to disorient, never to harm. Nick nodded after several minutes of mayhem and Jack and Adrian descended, their faces sweaty. Adrian was running a hand through his tousled hair and said, "Man, there's no way we're losing this year. Not with this little firecracker and your new girlfriend to help us," he smirked and punched Jack on the shoulder while he blushed. Nick and Adrian ran to the waiting area to announce the winners while Jack accompanied me there.

"I'm not one to ask this, usually, but is your friend single?" he stammered looking down at me with wide eyes. I stared at him in surprise. He really liked her.

"No. But you could try a bit harder. She's worth it, not just a pretty face," I smiled and focused on my sleeves.

"Believe me, I know that. No Dracul ever is." And he walked away, leaving me stunned. Lexi ran up to me and hugged me tightly,

"We made the team. The keeper's the guy who went first…but who cares? We made it!" We made our way back to the stands to watch Aves' tryout.

The Ravenclaw captain came onto the field and divided the group of around 4 students into 2 groups, with Aves in the second. Ravenclaw students weren't known for their passion for sports, so I wasn't surprised at the turnout. They were to each show their skills for the open positions of a Chaser and a Seeker. Aves went up last, deciding to try out as a Snitch. The captain released the Snitch and instructed her to wait 30 seconds before pursuing it. The captain then released the Bludgers and told her to Seek. Aves avoided the Bludgers easily and caught the Snitch in about 10 minutes, returning it to the chest without any effort. After the captain had seen all of the tryout she called Aves and a tall, blue-haired girl who looked about 15 over and gave them their new posts. Aves skipped away happily and hugged me tightly. I checked Amber's watch and swore profusely,

"Shit! I'm going to be late for Dumbledore! See you guys later!"

I ran up to the castle, leaving my weightlessness behind and slipping back under the weight of the world.

**A/N: How'd I do? And how was the Quidditch practice in this... Come on.. you know you love it! Heavy Jack/Lexi in this thing, all due to Morgane of course... Please review as always...flames as well as hugs are welcome. Oh, before I forget, how was Will's POV from St. Mungo's? Come on...need to know stuff!**


	11. The FireSnake

**A/N: Hey guys! Welcome back from Memorial Day weekend. Sorry it took me so long to update this chapter, but I did a LOT this weekend- and I had little time to write, except in the car, of course. Thanks to my loyal reviewers: SkyeElf, im-the-doctor, weirdgiraffe and AverytheElf for reviewing-you guys make my day! This chapter is longer, and less fluffy than before. It requires a bit more brainpower to figure out-so please take it slow! This chapter goes out to Justin, Caroline, Ailin, Matt, Christine, Mimz, Laura and Randy, who saw me in CT, over the weekend. I love you guys so much- you get hugs and character nudges! Read on...**

Aidan's POV

I bent over in agony as Aves' small fist met my nose. Blood began gushing from it and I kicked Alec in the shins as he began laughing. I noticed a brief altercation occur between Jordan, Isabella and Aves. _Shit, that hurts so bad…Guess I kind of deserve it though… She's surprisingly strong for such a tiny person. _

"…Don't sink to the level of filthy half-breeds," I heard Jordan sneer and laugh icily. A sudden buzzing sound in my ears made me realize my anger. No one talked to my friends like that, even if they did just punch me.

"Then I shall leave, before soiling your precious pureblood robes with your filthy principles," I heard Aves say calmly before she turned away. I snickered into my bloody hand and I spotted Isabella giving me an evil glare.

"Get up, Aidan! You're bleeding on my shoes!" Isabella shrieked and I straightened up. She was smirking at me as though she had a plan, just like before Will got hurt.

"NO, Isabella! Aves is off-limits, do you understand?" I tried to tell her but it came out incoherent as more blood spilled out of my nose. "Can no one help?"

"Sure, dude, look over there," Alec was smiling absent-mindedly in the direction where Aves had walked. _Faking it, my ass!_

"_Episkey!_" he flourished his wand at my nose, and I felt it crack uncomfortably. But it worked, because I could breathe and when I looked in the window, I simply looked as though someone had busted a pack of ketchup in my face.

"But I won't fix the blood. That's for talking smack to my sister," he raised an eyebrow and grinned. _How was this guy in Slytherin?_

"He's got a pretty strong God complex," Isabella replied, in answer to my thoughts. _Wait, what?_ She smiled dangerously at me and walked in the other direction, her braids descending elegantly from her head like snakes.

"Yeah, she can do that too. Come on, I don't want to waste my weekend with Isabella. I think we have Quidditch tryouts today, so let's go on the field. I want to try for Seeker, it's the only thing I can do better than Iz…" Alec looked at me pleadingly, but I shook my head.

"Naw, man. That place affects me like hell. I'll just go to the library- I still have a Divination essay to finish," I waved to him as he ran off, and then turned towards the Hallway of Stairs. I wasn't going to go to the library. I was going to try and get into Gryffindor tower. I was going to talk to Cora.

I reached Gryffindor tower only several minutes later and realized my mistake. Gryffindor had a password entry dormitory, just like Slytherin did. I looked at the portrait in front of the door and groaned. It was a painting of a fat, old lady wearing a frilly dress of the most awful bubble-gum pink color. She was attempting to sing some Muggle song, and she was failing miserably.

"Excuse me, ma'am? Would you be so kind and let me into the tower?" I asked, hoping she wouldn't notice my silver and green tie. She did.

"_Friday, Friday, getting down on….._I'm sorry. Do you know the password?" she demanded, raising an eyebrow.

"No, ma'am. It's an emergency, though," I pleaded while she looked at me defiantly.

"It always is. I'm sorry, but you'll have to wait for someone to let you in. If they will, of course, considering you loyalties," she stared at my Slytherin badge and went back to singing. I rolled my eyes and began to stomp away when I crashed into a fairly small first-year. I recognized her as one of Cora's friends. Amber, I think.

"Aidan," she said coolly, her eyes flashing angrily. I flinched, I had never seen her angry.

"Hey, listen. I never meant to hurt Cora! Plus, the plan wasn't even my idea!" I argued, as she threw up her hands.

"You are equally responsible if you took part in it! You can't lie to ME-I know that you meant to hurt Will. What has he done to you?" she accused, and I felt the air around me begin to moisten. Right-she was an Elemental.

"He didn't DO anything. It's Cora's fault," I gasped, and covered my mouth. That wasn't supposed to happen.

"Yeah, buster. I'm a Verit, so you can't lie to me. Now, pray tell. Why is it Cora's fault?" she demanded, a light smile on her face. I tried to shut my mouth but the words spilled.

"I love her, but she likes Will," I glared at her, but her face grew confused.

"Cora likes Will?" she raised a small hand to her mouth and her eyes grew wide. _I thought this girl knew everything!_

"Obviously," I stuck my hands in my jeans pockets.

"Crap, she's going to get her heart broken," I heard her whisper to herself, and she began to rush off in the other direction.

"Why?" I asked holding out my hand to stop her. I didn't like Will on principle, but I would KILL him if he hurt Cora.

"Isn't it obvious? Don't you know?" Amber asked me passively, as though it was common knowledge.

"Clearly not, considering I'm asking you," I replied, my face sarcastic.

"It's not my secret to tell," she stated simply, turning away again.

"Wait, Amber, please. Can you just tell me where Cora is, I need to talk to her!" I yelled, and she whirled around, the air suddenly tangible with humidity.

"She'll talk to you when she's ready. Give her some space-you really hurt her," she placed a quick hand on my shoulder and ran off, her oversized hoodie billowing behind her.

_She was right, I had hurt her._

I hurried off to the library-I did, in fact, have an essay for Rowling to finish. The old bat was insane, as wacky as Snape was mean. As I turned the corner to the library, I spotted Snape and lowered my head. It didn't help.

"Well, if it isn't Mr. Vestey, the idiot who managed to somehow land 2 students in the hospital wing and St. Mungo's," he sneered as I passed by. I whirled around and stared at him, his nose protruding from his face.

"What is it you have against me, Professor?" I asked him politely, but he could feel the rage underneath my words.

"Pardon me if I don't praise my students for inflicting harm because of jealousy. It's a pitiful thing to do," Snape's jaw hardened and he stepped towards me. I smelled his foul breath; it reeked of stale eggs and bread, as well as a potion that my parents often brewed: Polyjuice Potion. I raised an eyebrow and saw his eyes erupt in flames. He stormed away, his cloak billowing behind him. He really did look like a bat.

_What in blazes what that about? And why does he smell like Polyjuice Potion?_

Cora's POV

_I'm going to be late, I'm going to be late, I'm going to be late, SHIT! I'm late…_

I ran up the stairs and down the corridor leading to Dumbledore's office. Seth was already waiting for me and he cursed as he saw me turn the corner.

"You're bloody late. What the hell was so important?" I clutched my sides and gasped,

"Quidditch tryouts. I made Beater and Aves made Seeker."

"Really? I'll have to congratulate her… Stop distracting me! You're late for Dumbledore and that's BAD!" he yelled at me and turned to the statue. It was ornately detailed and all engraved in marble. The phoenix looked life-like as though it was going to fly away any second.

"Turkish Delight," he spoke calmly, and straightened his head. He had tied his hair behind his head and his eyes were determined, as though he had made up his mid about something difficult. The phoenix statue looked down at us and flew directly up, revealing an ornate door, encrusted with rubies, emeralds, sapphires and tourmalines. I ran my hand over the gems and they moved, forming the image of a roaring lion before the door swung open, revealing a quite flustered Prof. Andersonn. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Seth disappear, and I heard her gasp,

"Ms. Rattigan, what are you doing here? It's past curfew!"

"I have an appointment with Prof. Dumbledore, ma'am. To discuss my new…erm…powers," I shrugged and made to enter the office. She placed a hand on my shoulder before I entered and gazed at me, her green eyes attentive.

"Remember what I told you, my dear," she whispered, her voice cracking. She smiled at me sadly and gestured for me to enter before exiting the office herself. I saw Seth reappear beside him and punched through his shoulder.

"Hey, just because I'm transparent, doesn't make that any more comfortable," he objected as he punched me back. A shudder ran down my back and I felt my head begin to throb dangerously. I stuck my hand in the pocket of my jeans and pulled out the small vial of potion that Snape (or Severus, as he had asked me to call him) had taught me how to place an Undetectable Extension Charm on. I brought the vial to my lips, only to realize I had none left. I looked at Seth worriedly, but he was busy moving pillows over anything breakable in the room. My fingers began to prickle with the exact same pins and needles feeling, and I steadied them. And then my head split open again, but with less pain then last time. I noticed I could see clearer, and that my conscious thoughts took up less of my attention then everything else. I was aware of every detail, every little movement, as small as dust. I could hear not only the pounding of my blood, but also the steady beat of Dumbledore's heart drawing closer and closer. Seth floated in front of me, sensing my stiffening up.

"Cora, your eyes!" he gasped, but then smiled knowingly.

"What?" I snapped, and he laughed. He had broken my concentration.

"When a Newid is controlling something, their eyes become focused and usually turn a different color. Yours just turned a near-transparent blue, well done," he explained, turning his head around.

"Why is that important?" I asked, feeling stupid the instant I said it.

"It lets you know if you're fully focused. But, for people other than yourself, it lets them know your emotions. It's a gift, and a curse," he winked at me.

"Hello, Cora. Seth," Dumbledore greeted us, and waved his wand around the room. I watched in awe as it transformed into what looked like a Muggle wrestling room. The floors were carpeted, soft and plush, and the walls were padded with another material. Dumbledore began transfiguring certain objects into things that I could use to practice my powers: balls, pillows and a planetary model. He gestured for me to step forward and I did.

"First, I'd like to see your Shield powers, which seem to be the most prominent. I will throw this ball at you and I'd like for you to block it," he said simply and he chucked the ball at me.

My senses did the work for me. I raised my hand, and in a swift, sweeping motion, the ball had stopped any movement and was laying on the ground, still. Seth smiled encouragingly and said,

"Now, you try with a couple more. I'll throw one at the same time as the Headmaster, but from a completely different direction," he told me and I nodded. This was too easy.

The balls came suddenly, but my eyes caught them and this time around I just stared and they dropped. Seth and Dumbledore looked at each other in shock for several seconds.

"_Muffliato,"_ Dumbledore mumbled, pointing at me, and they began to talk, but even with my powers I couldn't hear anything. I sat on the mat and focused on one of the balls, willing it to levitate. As soon as it was in the air, I began to make it spin, faster and faster. After several seconds, I focused on it sharply and watched it burst into flame. The flames began to move to me, snakelike almost, until they were about a foot away from my face. I let go of the control, but stared in shock when the flames didn't dissipate. Instead, they formed the picture of a lion and a snake. The snake was twisting around the lion elegantly, until they were in the midst of some sort of weird dance. Suddenly, the snake opened its mouth wide and swallowed the lion whole, a satisfied smirk on its face. The snake then began growing, larger and larger until about half of the room was taken up by it. I stared at it, entranced, but I saw Dumbledore and Seth panicking in the corner. They thought I was doing it. But I wasn't.

The snake flicked its tail at me trustingly and I stood up. My head was screaming in pain, but I didn't pay any attention. My muscles were moving of their own accord. I stepped forward, and the snake wrapped its tail around me. My head moved up, causing my eyes to stare directly into the snake's open mouth. It was hissing and spitting sparks, but they rebounded a good foot away from me. I must've formed a shield unknowingly around myself. All of a sudden, I saw Aidan's face, his eyes unmoving, lying on the sand of some rocky beach. I yelled, but no sound came out. And then the world went black.

Seth's POV

I watched. I just floated there and watched that fire-snake devour Cora. I saw her come out of the trance, screaming mutely, as though she was in her own bubble. Her face was distorted with pain and her eyes had gone black entirely. And then I saw her faint.

Dumbledore rushed forward and immediately whisked her into his arms, letting the room transform around them. He laid her gently on a loveseat in front of a fire that burnt bright and wouldn't give to anything. Gubraithian Fire.

She just lay there, limp as a ragdoll, while Dumbledore called Snape from the dungeons, using what seemed to be a two-way mirror. I couldn't confess that I liked the idea very much; Snape had always been my least favorite teacher. But he seemed to have warmed up to Cora, and if there was one person who could wake her up, it was he. I heard her heart beating ever so faintly in her chest, and every once in a while I thought I saw her lips moving. Suddenly, she began twitching and moving her limbs around uncontrollably. I tried to stop her, to somehow CALM her, but nothing worked. I had never seen something like this before, and I had never experienced it. _What's happening to her?_

Dumbledore descended from the stairs swiftly, his eyes alarmed and anxious. I had never encountered Dumbledore in this state: it was as though he had no idea what to do or what could happen.

"Dumbledore, aren't you going to do anything?" I exclaimed, gesturing to Cora, who was shaking violently.

"My boy, there is nothing either or I can do. Only Professor Snape can help her now," he said gravely as he opened the scroll in his hand. It looked worn and several centuries old. I floated over there hurriedly and looked down at the scroll: it depicted an almost exact illustration of the fire-snake that had attacked Cora.

"Dumbledore, do you know what this is?" I asked him quietly and he looked at me quizzically, snapping out of his reverie.

"No, my boy. But I know someone who can help her. She should still be awake," he scratched his beard and stuck his wand in the pocket of his purple traveling cloak.

"Who cares if she's awake? Just get her!" I practically yelled at Dumbledore as he picked up a handful of emerald-green Floo Powder from a jar on the side of the fireplace. He stepped into the fireplace and smiled at me genially.

"My dear boy, what on earth do you think I'm doing?" he said before throwing down the powder and yelling,

"_Madam Rosmerta's!"_ He disappeared into the green flames.

"Seriously, Dumbledore! Is this really the best time for a butterbeer?" I yelled in vain. He couldn't hear me.

I looked back down at the scroll: the picture showed someone who looked kind of like Cora, but, in reality, it could be any one with curly brown hair. Even me at 14. The snake, however, was an almost exact depiction of the snake that had attacked her, right down to the fire-white eyes. I looked closer and noticed that it bore a small signature in the corner. I could make out only the first and last letters: an R and a g, which contained a small eye.

My thoughts were interrupted by Snape slamming the door as he entered the office, an entire bag of random potion supplies in his arms.

"Professor," I greeted him, and floated to the loveseat, my head by Cora's. Snape nodded mutely and began examining her, muttering a bunch of spells as he wove his wand over her body.

I watched him conjure a cauldron and light a fire underneath it. He began adding herbs and ingredients, some of which I recognized to be Flobberworm Mucus and Unicorn Milk. Finally, when he threw in a couple of bright blue dragon scales, I lost my patience and yelled,

"What in blazes are you doing? Now is not the time for experimenting!" He looked up from the potion and sneered,

"For your information, Mr. Wilcox, I am attempting an immensely complicated Full Recovery Draught, which is usually only attempted by Healers of the highest class. I would appreciate some silence." He dropped a couple more ingredients in before sitting up and looking me in the eye. I was shocked to see that his eyes were wet and that he had large circles under his eyes. He had been crying.

"What the bloody hell happened here?" he asked me, and his voice was exhausted.

I twitched my head towards the scroll and Snape glided over to the table swiftly. He leaned over the scroll and I saw his nostrils flare as he looked over it in confusion. I ran my hand over Cora and felt her emitting waves of energy. She looked so battle-worn, so close to death.

I floated next to him by the table and whispered as I had with Dumbledore,

"Professor, do you know what this is?" He turned to me, a sickly pale hand on his eyes.

"I've never seen anything like it. But the longer she is in this state, the quicker she begins to degrade. She'll die-the Draught will simply slow the process. We have to hope that Dumbledore knows more," he replied, looking at her worriedly, while walking back to the pot. The Draught had become a pale lavender color and smelled clean, like a sea breeze. He turned off the fire and began spooning small amounts into her mouth. Nothing happened, but I felt the waves of energy die down, ever so slightly.

_Where in the bloody hell is Dumbledore?_

Dumbledore's POV

I landed at Madam Rosmerta's several seconds later, nearly running her over as I swept up the stairs to her room. The smell of burning sage and rosemary hit me like a typhoon. I pressed on until I reached her room, accessible only via ladder. Plumes of fragranced smoke descended from the cracks in the floor, and I shook my head. _Perhaps she shouldn't have come._ But she would know what to do-hopefully.

"_Descendio,"_ I whispered pointing my wand at the ceiling, and watching the spiral staircase descend. I stepped onto it hesitantly, for Transfiguration had never been her best subject. The staircase ascended slowly, but unsurely, making several stops in between. And then I entered her room.

The room had been entirely altered from the times of my residence. It was now carpeted by thick, Persian rugs, which were strewn all over the floor and mismatched horribly. Where there used to be a bright breakfast alcove, surrounded by windows, there now stood two overstuffed chairs, with burns on the armrests and sharing a table covered in a deep purple tablecloth bearing a hazy crystal ball. Every oversized window was now covered with moth-eaten curtains that didn't let in any light. The fireplace was not only burning several thick logs, but dried herbs such as sage, rosemary and belladonna. My head began spinning, as I smelled the last one: its effects were dizzying, even if used in moderation.

She was sitting cross-legged in front of the fireplace, her straw-like hair reaching the floor. I could see her bat-winged paisley shirt and smiled to myself: she always did have an odd thing for Muggle hippie clothing. No doubt she had purchased that and her wide-legged hemp pants from that vendor in Camden Market.

I stepped forward tentatively, and she raised a finger. She breathed in deeply, through the haze and raised her arms to the sky in a meditative position. After several seconds of pure silence, she bowed to the fire and I saw her get up elegantly to greet me.

As always, I couldn't help but be stunned by her appearance. She did come from a family of famous Seers, but I couldn't deny that somewhere along the line, a son must have met a Veela and fallen in love. Her hair, which she was now tying in a braid behind her head, obscured her high forehead but her wide, grey eyes were as clear and knowing as ever. Most people didn't know that she was, in fact, blind, but I had kept that a secret from everyone for ages. She had learned to see with her inner eye, however, more than she could if her eyes were functional. Not that her Companion, Mae, didn't help. Mae was a Norwegian Forest cat with thick, ashy brown fur. I spotted her lying on the bed, her body stretched comfortably across about half of it. Jo probably didn't mind, she preferred the floor anyways.

She stepped forward and held out her thin hand in my direction, a serene smile on her face.

"Albus, it's nice to see you again," she said quietly, as I shook her hand.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you at such a late hour, Jo, but we have a problem. Up at the school," I placed a hand on her shoulder and she gasped. Her eyes went white and I felt her go cold. _Merlin, Albus. You'll never learn!_

She finally stopped after a brief minute and I saw her eyes go back to normal.

"I see. Do you think Cassandra may have something to do with what happened?" she asked, looking worriedly at me.

"There's only one way to find out. YOU need to see her," I raised an eyebrow knowingly. Jo rarely showed people what she was really like. She preferred keeping her true identity a secret, and have the rest of society mark her as insane. The unfortunate thing was, she was anything but.

Biting her lip, she glided over to the bed and gently awoke Mae, who mewed softly, before stepping along the wall to her coat hanger, from which she picked a brown leather jacket with tassels. It took my entire attention span to not snicker at her choice. She then took my arm, and we began our descent and exit. Mae followed us close behind, her thick tail hitting my leg.

"Albus! May I offer you and…uh…your _friend_ some mead?" Rosmerta asked, looking at Jo's face skeptically.

"Not tonight Rosmerta, my dear. Urgent Hogwarts business," I nodded, but bought a case of butterbeer anyways. It could become a long night.

Jo kneeled on the ground, whispering in Mae's ear. She stood up as Mae began trotting out the door and turned to me,

"She'll meet us there," she said to me, with such a certainty in her voice. Not that I didn't believe her- Mae was a Companion, after all.

Jo let go of my arm and stepped into the flames before me, a worried frown on her face. I threw down the Floo Powder and we disappeared, riding the chimneys to Hogwarts.

**A/N: How'd I do? No, seriously, be honest. This chapter was quite a change, but I meant it to be. You'll love the next chapter, I know it. Oh, and to those who are begging me for Will's return- he will return. But I'm afraid to return him too soon- I mean, you would spend WEEKS in a hospital if something had happened to you, right? Go, off! As always, flames as well as hugsies are welcome- although I doubt anything could sour my mood. I'm on Cloud nine ever since the day before yesterday! Umm, yeah... so REVIEW or I'll have Lexi punch you in the nose. (heehee Morgane...)**


	12. Cassandra

**A/N: Hey guys! This update comes to you really quickly, because I couldn't think of adding any more. The chapter just seemed perfect ending even at 5 pages long, instead of 6 or 7. This takes place in the meantime, so while everything was going on in the 3 broomsticks and stuff. Thanks to the Elves(that's what I will call you guys(AverytheElf and SkyeElf) now) and im-the-doctor for reviewing. Where was weirdgiraffe? We may never know… This chapter is for mystical people, and those who make up words, when there are none. Virtual box of tissues! You'll need them!**

Cora's POV

I was dead. I had to be. How else could I explain this constant blackness?

And then, suddenly, a flash of brightest white.

I didn't recognize the room where I stood, at first. But as I looked around, I recognized the grass, the upturned chairs and, of course, the fact that the room had no ceiling or walls. I saw the Black Lake, glistening out in the distance, under the brightest sun. It was the Room of Requirement, as it had been the night Will had shown it to me.

In the center of the room, I saw the telescope, with which he had shown me Cassandra's phoenix. As I paced around it, our silhouettes became somewhat discernible, like the picture of an old projector against some fog. My heart began pounding against the walls of my chest and I turned away.

And that's when I noticed that I wasn't alone.

A figure was standing in the corner, waiting patiently for me to end my reverie.

"Hello?" I asked, my voice shaky. Something about this figure radiated power and…mysticalness. It only seemed appropriate that I be afraid. Very afraid.

She turned her head to me, and looked at me with wise, grey eyes. They looked me up and down as though she was speculating my worth. Finally, her eyes rested on my trembling hands, and I balled them up into fists, attempting to look daring. She threw back her head and laughed loudly, gliding towards me slowly at the same time.

She stopped about a foot from me and allowed me several seconds to stare. Her skin literally glowed as bright as a fluorescent bulb, creating a bubble of soft light around us. She was wearing a long, white dress, simply tied together at the waist with a piece of thick yarn. Around her shoulders, she bore a loosely knitted purple shawl, which emphasized her clear, grey eyes and long, curly, straw-colored hair. She looked like a Gaelic princess, like those I had seen in pictures at the library. At first, I thought she was a ghost, but she wasn't floating like Seth did. She was walking, bare-footed, in the grass just like I was. I gulped nervously.

"My child, there is no need to be afraid of me," she spoke kindly, but I heard a slight hint of arrogance in her voice, as though she came from royalty. Just like Lexi.

"Who says I'm afraid?" I asked hesitantly. She ignored the question.

"My name is Cassandra. I am the first Newid," she looked me in the eye, and I felt that rush of hostility again. Except this time, I understood it. My instincts felt the power between the two of us, and they were going nuts.

"Cassandra? As in the Phoenix?" I asked, regretting it the second I saw her eyes darken in sadness.

"Yes. I'm afraid your friend was right about my story. Fawkes is in good hands though," she looked away, and began to drift in the other direction.

"Fawkes? Wait…," I rushed after her and she rounded on me.

"Child, we have not much time, and much for you to understand," Cassandra looked down at me, and I nodded hurriedly. I'd get my question in later.

"What is happening?" I asked her, and she sighed.

"_That,_ my dear, is a heck of a question. I can explain many things to you, but there is much that you will have to figure out for yourself," she replied, placing a hand on my shoulder. It was warm and cleared my mind of any worry.

"Why am I here? Am I dead?" I asked, waving an arm around the room.

"For hundreds of years, I have come to Newids in a time of great need. At this point, you have a choice to make. But before I explain it to you, it is time that you see how people such as us are perceived," she looked at me expectantly and I raised my hand. _Yeah, that's REALLY going to help._

"Umm, what do you mean?" I asked, wondering what she would show me.

"I believe it is time for you to see Seth, and his demise," she answered simply and grabbed my hand gently. The room became increasingly bright and I closed my eyes protectively. When the light died down, I reopened them and saw that I was on the Grounds at Hogwarts, where Lexi, Amber, Aves and I had been earlier that day. However, I noticed that several things were different: the circle of dead grass in front of Hagrid's hut didn't exist as well as the plentiful pumpkin patch. In its place lay the hut, seemingly vacant, except for a pair of pink Wellington boots in front of the door.

_Hmm, Hagrid hadn't been hired yet. How long ago was this?_

"Welcome to Hogwarts, 50 years ago," Cassandra breathed in the air and gestured to the Castle, where I saw a group of 3 teens descend the hill quickly. The two guys tackled each other and the girl laughed hysterically as they rolled down the hill and onto the beach.

She rushed forward and I saw her clearly, for the first time.

Her hair was raven-black and reached down to her elbows. In the dim light of the cloudy day, her bright amber eyes glinted worriedly as she looked at the curly haired boy with dark circles under his eyes. I spotted some blood drip from a gash on his neck.

"Seth!" she yelled, and dropped her bags, descending to her knees in front of him. I drew in a sharp breath through my teeth as I recognized his thin face.

"Oh my god. That can't be," I whispered to Cassandra who was staring at Seth, her eyes inexpressive, as though she had watched this too many times.

"Shh, child," she replied and nodded over to the person who had tackled Seth.

His eyes were glaring at Seth and the girl in pure hatred. No, not hatred, but jealously. And love? I couldn't pick apart all of the emotions. His black eyes darkened as he saw the girl give Seth a kiss. It was quick, but it seemed to be the last straw for the guy. He stood up and picked up his bag, embroidered with an intricate…Slytherin crest!

"DO YOU GUYS MIND?" he boomed, as the girl looked at him angrily. Seth, however, turned to him slowly and placed a hand on his shoulder. There was real sorrow in his face, though he did look happier than I had ever seen him.

"Sorry, mate. Won't happen again," he tried to smile, but I heard the weariness in his voice. _Would this happen to me?_

"Yeah, that's what you've said every single time! I've put up with this shit long enough. Goodbye, Seth. Have a nice life," he stormed away and I saw Seth get up and run towards the guy.

"Hector! Please, man. Can't you cut me some slack? For Zoë, at least?" he whispered urgently, and Hector turned around, his wand poised for attack.

"Don't give me that crap again, Seth. You KNEW how I felt about her, but you asked her behind my back anyways! Plus, we both know that the only reason she said yes, was because you screwed with her head!" Hector screamed, his eyes flashing angrily. Seth looked ashamed in the beginning, but once Hector began talking of his powers, I felt the air spark with electricity. Hector felt it too, and began flashing spells at Seth, who blocked most of them deftly, until he heard Zoë run up behind them. I saw why they had fallen so easily: she radiated a natural beauty, despite the tears running down her face.

"Hector! Stop it! Please! I'll do anything!" she screamed, as people began gathering around the dueling friends. Seth looked depressed, trying to defend both himself and Zoë, who was trying to plead with Hector. Not that he was listening. I felt so helpless, watching the scene without being able to do anything. Seth was barely defending himself against the spells, and he seemed determined not to use any powers whatsoever.

"Anything? Fine, then! Leave him, and be with me. Leave your precious Newid and I'll spare his lousy, double-crossing life," Hector's eyebrows narrowed as her amber eyes filled with tears. Seth was looking at her, his eyes resigned, as though he had already accepted her choice. She then looked at Hector defiantly and shook back her head.

"No," she stated softly, her voice cracking up.

"Have it your way, then," he said, deathly calm. He raised his wand to her head and I heard him yell,

"_Avada Kedavra!_"

I stood there, screaming my lungs out. Seth dove in front of Zoë and sent of a huge shield, ten times stronger than what I'd produced to defend against material items. I saw the green light rebound off the shield, but hover ominously in the air. Seth was kneeling on the ground, and I saw Zoë try to shake him back to reality. He was frozen, and I had a feeling that something had happened to him, just like it had happened to me. Hector was walking slowly to him, the tip of his wand glowing brightly, as his eyes focused maliciously on Seth.

Suddenly, Seth opened his eyes and stood up shakily, leaving his wand on the ground, and Zoë yelling at Hector to stop desperately. Hector looked down at Seth and spoke, his eyes bearing so much pain that I thought he would crumple,

"This is the price one pays for betrayal," he said, looking away as he swung his wand up, leaving a bloody gash on Seth's face. Zoë screamed in agony and bent over Seth, who was looking at the green light, resigned. I saw him lean forward and whisper something in her ear before giving her a passionate kiss, her tears streaming onto his face. She pulled away and clung to him, but flew back as he used the last of his energy to save her from the curse. I felt the tears stream uncontrollably down my face as the curse hit his heart, wiping all life from his own green eyes. Zoë seemed shaken, her body ridden with sobs as she sat by Seth, his head in her arms. Blood stained her white shirt, and matted her dark hair. Hector stepped forward, tear tracks glinting on his own face, but she didn't notice. The crowd around them was silently watching him, backing off if he looked their way. He focused his eyes upon Seth's and opened his mouth, screaming mutely. Only, he wasn't screaming.

A substance that looked like emerald smoke began to creep out of Seth's mouth and into Hector's. It was the most terrifying thing that I had ever seen, but I understood what was happening. Hector was a Drainer: a paraxene who sucked people's powers when they were newly dead. It explained his demeanor, as well as his incredible temper. After the smoke had finished transferring, Hector's eyes glowed green before he fainted, his body limp against the ground.

I saw Cassandra out of the corner of my eye, and I nodded sadly as she took my hand. This time, I didn't bother to close my eyes. Light couldn't hurt me after what I had just seen.

"Do you understand why I showed you that?" Cassandra asked, placing her shawl around my trembling shoulders. I wiped the tears from my face and nodded. _She wanted to warn me about what could happen if I wasn't careful._

"What happened when he froze up like that?" I asked, realizing how stupid the question sounded.

"_This. _He met me," Cassandra nodded to herself and sat down next to me.

"Seth had found out he was a Newid two years before that incident. It was his first moment of death. That shield sucked all the life-energy out of him, he was so close to complete death. When Newids meet death for the first time, they have a choice to make. To continue on, and die, or come back and continue living," she looked at me and I stared at her.

"This is my choice?" I asked, and she nodded, her eyes apprehensive.

"It's not just your choice. See, that snake meant something, my child. It means you're IT," she put emphasis on the last word, as though it meant something significant. I giggled into my hand.

"For a centuries-old legendary, you're fairly tongue-tied," I joked, but my voice was sad. I saw her chuckle and lean back onto the grass.

_Was it my destiny to end up like Seth?_

"No, my dear, it doesn't mean that whatsoever! It's you choice, but remember what it involves. A Newid is given great responsibility when he or she accepts to live on. We keep the balance between every paraxene, between everything. Seth was meant to be the One, but after seeing Hector, he stopped believing in himself, and all the good that we stand for. He thought he had become evil, and he sacrificed himself for the good of everyone. All he asked for was a couple of seconds with the girl he loved," she sighed and I looked at her quizzically.

"What do you mean, he was the One?" I asked, and she smiled, ever so slightly.

"I was hoping you wouldn't catch that. That is not for me to explain. It's Jo's turn now," she stood up and looked at me, her hand held out.

"Many things lie ahead of you, young one, and I would not have chosen you for this task. There have been many before you who I believed were much better suited for this, but even they crumbled under the pressure. If you go back, the world WILL be on your shoulders. What is your choice?" she asked, her grey eyes kind. I was reminded of pictures of my favorite author-but I pushed that thought away as the words hit me full on. _This is you chance, Core, to get away from it all. All the bullying, and hurting people. You could really help people, by dying._

But then I saw the faces. The faces of those that I couldn't think of leaving: Aves, Lexi, my mum, Seth, Amber, Will. Finally, I saw Aidan and my heart went insane. He wouldn't die-not if I could help it.

No, I told myself. I could help people more by doing what I was meant to do. I would take the role, and throw all caution to the wind.

"No," I stated simply, and Cassandra smiled kindly.

'Then you are indeed the One. Please don't judge me on my drawing abilities. Good luck," she said and I felt the air whoosh past me rapidly. My eyes closed, as they began to dry out and then the feeling stopped.

My eyes flew open and I looked around:

Dumbledore's office, yet again.

**A/N: How'd I do? I know it was really short and sad, but I just felt it was a necessary chapter. Things won't become all serious all the time though, chapter after next promises to be a bundle of laughs or a barrel of monkeys. Flames as well as hugs are welcome. Read before I set Isabella on you!(that better Morgane?)**


	13. Confessions and Considerations

**A/N: Hi! Sorry for taking so long to write this chapter, I had too many stray thoughts! This one has a bit of fluff, made especially for Leanna, and some confirmations for Morgane. Thanks to the Elves, im-the-doctor, weirdgiraffe and my newest contributor, Mischievia Samantha Fenton for reviewing. You guys receive virtual couscous this time around(heehee inside joke). Thanks for the nice things everyone said about Seth, he really appreciates it. Extra disclaimer, cause I don't own Adele's lyrics, much less Rebecca blacks(thank merlin!) Read on for more drama, and some happiness**

Cora's POV

_Why in blazes are there so many people staring me? Have I turned blue?_

I sat up slowly and looked around. Dumbledore was smiling at me kindly from the table, the woman next to him running her fingers over a piece of parchment. Severus was sleeping on the ground, light snores escaping his slightly open mouth. I resisted the urge to giggle; he looked at peace, and so very calm. Beside my head, I felt Seth floating as low as he could. I stood up defiantly, nearly tripping over Sev's sleeping figure and looked Dumbledore in his clear, blue eyes.

"Sir, I have made my choice. No offense, but I believe I deserve an explanation," I demanded, placing my hands lightly on my hips. I heard Seth snicker behind me and Sev's gentle snoring cease, as he too, sat up to look at me. _I doubt anyone has ever spoken to Dumbledore that way. Ever._

The woman beside him turned around and looked me in the eyes, and amused expression on her face as she threw back her head and laughed.

"My dear, you most certainly do," Dumbledore answered calmly, shooting a light glare at the woman. _Wait, what?_

"However, I am not the best person to explain this whole ordeal to you. I believe it is your turn, now, Jo," he turned to the woman and turned on his heel, descending elegantly onto an armchair and opening a random book.

"Hello, my child. I am Joanne Rowling, but you may call me Jo," the woman stated kindly, holding out a thin hand. My heart stopped.

_This is a dream, Core! Snap the hell out of it! You're not meeting JK Rowling, and she did DEFINITELY just not invite you to call her JO!_

I laughed nervously before slapping myself, hard. It hurt, really bad. I whirled around at the sound of raucous laughter coming from Sev and Seth, but they calmed as they saw my narrowed eyes.

"Sorry," I hung my head in front of Jo, "I had to make sure I wasn't dreaming."

"How do know for certain that you are not?" she asked cryptically, raising a thin eyebrow before gesturing to the parchment in front of her.

"What do you make of this?" she inquired and I leaned over it, my eyes perusing the drawing.

"It looks like….me!" I exclaimed and Jo nodded slowly.

"This is a Seer's drawing. More precisely, my great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother's. She had a vision involving the demise of our world as we know it, and the one person who could save us. That person was to be the One. You," she smiled at me expectantly as she said this. I nodded resignedly, my mind made up.

_If you try to outrun your destiny, you shall be miserable…_

"The drawing was made by Cassandra Rowling. She saw the vision and left us with an indicator as to what the One may look like. I do not know why you were attacked by a giant fire-snake, or why you were chosen, I'm afraid. However, I know that you are about to face several years of hardship and betrayal. You need to close your heart, or you may wind up hurt worse than anything."

I stood and faced Dumbledore, my breath ragged.

"Sir, I will do everything you ask me to. But you cannot ask me to close my heart. Everything I am, I am because of my friends and family. I need some time to think. May I take a break from my training for about a week?"

Seth looked at me oddly, as though I was growing two extra arms. Jo placed a hand on Dumbledore's arm and I heard her whisper in his ear,

"Let her, Albus. She's the One. A week of normalcy won't hurt her. We need to be prepared for a compromise this time, Al. She may crumble if she is isolated. I've SEEN, she's doing this for those around her," Jo whispered urgently, winking coyly my way.

_What's up with Dumbledore and Jo? He seems…entranced?_

"Very well, Ms. Rattigan. 5 days. I will expect to see you on Saturday night then, at 5 o'clock sharp, please. Seth, if you will please escort to her common room, breakfast is an hour, and I'm sure she'll want to prepare for class."

I smiled widely at Dumbledore, before running forward and hugging him tightly around the waist, inhaling deeply. Oddly enough, he smelled like lemon drops and peppermint. He seemed taken aback, but he hugged me back anyways and I pulled away after a while, wrapping my arms around Jo's thin figure. Leaning up on my tiptoes, I whispered into her ear and asked for an autograph. She smiled at me wickedly before feeling around for paper and a quill and signing it elegantly. I jumped up and down and literally ran into Sev, hugging him tightly, while he patted me on the head awkwardly. I guess he wasn't used to people showing affection to him, but he seemed like such a big softie.

I smiled widely at everyone before dashing out the door, Seth floating close behind me.

"Cora, slow down! I'm still recovering from the mental shock you just gave me. You _hugged _Snape. And Dumbledore!" he exclaimed, as though the very idea of it was beyond disgusting.

"You can't be afraid of Snape! Plus, it's not like no one's ever hugged them before," I objected, shocked at his reaction.

"No, Cora, it's EXACTLY like that. I've never seen anyone hug Dumbledore, much less _Snape!_" he said the latter as though he had just seen a rat, covered in slime.

"Sheesh, Seth, chillax! Hugging is proven to lower your heart rate and calm you down. I was technically making them happier!" I skipped towards the Common Room before stopping in my tracks. _He_ was there. _How was I going to explain that I didn't mean for it to happen? I'm such a coward!_

I turned around, before walking directly into Seth, giving me a sympathetic look.

"Spit it out, already! I know, okay? I know I'm a bloody coward!" I nearly screamed, and Seth smiled.

"Cora, you are the bravest and most caring person I have ever met. He'll understand, trust me. Don't make my stupid mistake," he placed a hand on my shoulder and floated away, humming some hard rock tune.

I took a deep breath and looked around the corner. He had gone.

And I climbed into the portrait hole.

Will was sitting on the couch, getting killed by hugs from Lexi, Amber and Aves equally. I tried to sneak over, but a chair bumping into my spleen CONVENIENTLY slid in my direction.

He turned around, smiling, before laying his eyes on me. He jumped from the couch and ran to me.

"Cora! I missed you!" he exclaimed before opening his arms wide and trying to hug me. I shook my head rapidly and tucked under his arms, feeling the pain in my heart, as he turned to me, his eyes hurt.

"I'm so sorry, Will. I didn't know. But I won't let myself hurt you again!" I fell on my knees and Aves rushed by my side, rubbing my shoulders slowly. I could feel Lexi's eyes on my back, as she heard the hesitation in my voice.

"Core, of course I'm not mad at you! It wasn't your fault. I suck at flying anyways, but I was trying to impress someone," he shrugged and pulled me into a tight hug. I could feel my heart race as his arms wrapped around my shoulders before letting me go as he saw Lexi's flaming hair. This time, however, he didn't shrink in fear. Instead, he stuck out his tongue and looked at me worriedly.

"You need to tell us EVERYTHING, do you understand? I've heard most of it from Lexi and Aves, but you apparently disappeared again yesterday, after Quidditch tryouts. Oh, and high-five on making Beater!" he raised a hand, and I smacked it, feeling happier.

_He wasn't furious. He forgave me. Everything will be okay!_

I sat down on the loveseat, with his arm wrapped around me. I looked up at him and noticed a light scar on his forehead. He noticed my staring and shook his hair lightly down, to hide the tops of his glasses, grinning innocently. Aves and Amber collapsed on the ground in front of me, while Lexi leaned against the wall, by the fireplace, keeping her fiery eyes on Will. I didn't care- I was blissfully happy.

And then I told them everything.

Surprisingly, it didn't take long, but by the end, I felt as though I had spoken for hours. Everyone was staring at me, though not with revulsion, but sincere compassion. Will pulled me closer, and I felt him kiss the top of my head. Lex hissed at him, and he tried to pull away. But I stood up and looked at her angrily.

"What in the bloody hell is your PROBLEM, Lex? Why won't you let him near me?" I rounded on her and she sighed at me before turning to him.

"I told you so. Thanks a lot," she gave me a hug, which felt sincere but stormed out of the Common Room, leaving Will looking extremely guilty.

"What is she talking about?" I asked, as nobody met my eyes. I could feel my eyes get darker and Aves' head snapped up, looking at me worriedly.

"Hell if I know," Amber shrugged and shot a quick look at Will. He grinned and I heard his stomach rumble loudly.

"Food, please? St. Mungo's chef has NO tastebuds!" he looked at us pleadingly and I laughed, feeling my anger melt away.

Suddenly, I heard the pounding of large feet as someone entered the Common Room. I spotted Jack enter the Room, his eyes wide with guilt as he looked between Will and me.

"I'm sorry! I swear, he just wanted to talk to Cora, but I didn't know YOU were here, man. Oh, and welcome back!" Jack exclaimed, his grey eyes looking me up and down as I stood there, shocked. _How DARE he even try to come and TALK to me? And with WILL here? I'm going to THROTTLE him!_

Aidan's POV

I got up from the floor, swearing profusely. Someone had finally let me in.

And then I saw her.

_Oh, shit! I am going to die!_

She was yelling random insults at me, while Amber and Aves attempted to hold her back. "LET ME GO! LET ME AT HIM! I'M WARNING YOU GUYS…." she swore and they backed off, rubbing their hands, where red spots were beginning to show.

"Cora, come on. Hear him out," I heard Will whisper, as he stared sadly at me.

_Why was this guy trying to PROTECT me? Didn't I land him in St. Mungo's?_

"NO! I'LL HEAR HIM OUT, SURE, AFTER I THROTTLE HIM!" she screamed and he backed off too. She rounded on me, narrowing her eyes dangerously. I felt a powerful wind knock me down, but I rolled back and onto my feet. I had convinced Alec to teach me that: an enemy sitting down is much less protected.

Her eyes were filled with tears as she began punching every inch of my body, but it didn't hurt THAT bad. Aves had done much more damage.

"AIDAN-VESTEY-HOW-DARE-YOU-DO-SUCH-A-STUPID-THING! YOU-ARE-A-GIT-PRAT-BASTARD, UGH! SIT-YOUR-ASS-DOWN!" she punctuated every word with a hit to my arm, using a very heavy Arithmancy textbook. I winced and sat on the nearest chair and she fumed. I could nearly see the smoke coming out of her ears, but she took a deep breath, closing her eyes meditatively. When she opened them, they were their normal color-the same color that had made me fall in love with her. I smoldered and she sensed my surrender.

"Why, Aidan? That's all I want to know. What did Will ever do to you?" she asked, her voice cracking beautifully. I made the mistake of looking up.

Despite the fact that her face was streaked with tears, she looked…amazing. Tears clung to her eyes and every curl on her head shook with each sob that escaped her soft lips. I couldn't lie to her- I would NEVER be able to lie to her. So I did the worst thing I could've done. I told her the truth.

"He…EXISTED, Cora! You don't see how you stare at him, it's like you've seen the bloody freaking light or something. But, most importantly, you don't see how _I_ stare at you. Cora, you are my light. You're the reason I was able to come in here today. I love you," I gestured wildly with my hands, and her mouth dropped. Will gave me an encouraging smile, and I shot him a dirty look.

_I literally just confessed my love for his girlfriend and he's egging me on? Does he have multiple-personality disorder or something?_

I looked at Cora expectantly, hoping for anything, a slight hesitation, even a little bite on her lips. Nothing. She just looked at me sadly, and I saw her head shake minutely.

I nodded mutely and hugged her to me, just one more time. I inhaled deeply, smelling her Apple shampoo and Orange perfume. When I let go, I walked over to Will, whose hands were deep in his pockets as he stared at Cora, wide-eyed.

"Sorry for sending you to the hospital and everything, man. Hope we can still be cool. Don't hurt her, 'kay?" I asked him, gripping his hand tightly.

He shook it and frowned slightly, as though her had no idea what was happening.

I smiled at Amber, whose hand was over her thin mouth. Aves walked over and hugged me tightly, her head barely reaching my elbows.

"Hope, even in the most impossible of situations, is often the best weapon," she murmured before pulling away and glancing at me with her piercingly green eyes.

_Sounds like something Rowena Ravenclaw herself would say._

"You do Ravenclaw justice," I murmured back before climbing out of the portrait hole. As the door swung shut, I noticed something odd. The Fat Lady wasn't singing her usual song.

_"..__The scars of your love remind me of us, _

_They keep me thinking that we almost had it all, _

_The scars of your love, they leave me breathless, _

_I can't help feeling, _

_We could have had it all, _

_Rolling in the deep, _

_You had my heart inside your hand, _

_And you played it to the beat, _

_(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep),"_

Aves' POV

Cora didn't talk much that day and by fifth period, she had disappeared altogether. So I gathered my things and headed to the Arithmancy classroom early, hoping to get several questions in to Professor Janis before the rest of the class got there. I hurried up the staircases and rushed down the corridor, only to find someone already there.

"Hey, Aves! How's Cora?" Alec yelled as I pushed past him violently. As much as I hated to admit it, I really liked this guy, but I couldn't very well like him after what his SISTER had done to my best friend. That was treason.

"None of your business, Alec! Leave me the hell alone!" I rounded on him, my wand raised. Prof. Andersonn hat taught us a great hex last Friday and I'd been itching to try it out.

"You can't seriously blame me for what happened! I had nothing to do with it!" he objected, raising his hands.

_Wait, aren't Slytherins supposed to be all evil? PLEASE give me a reason to attack you!_

"You KNEW. That makes you responsible!" I shook my head and walked away, but he kept up easily. _Why in the world couldn't I have wings?_

"First of all, McGee, you have NO idea what it's like, okay? Don't you dare try to pin everything on me because I KNEW. You don't know EVERYTHING!" he screamed and collapsed on the ground in front of the door, wrapping his long arms around his knees.

I wanted to leave so bad. But I couldn't. There's just something about Alec, there's more to him. He's a puzzle. And I love puzzles.

"Then tell me, Carmicheal! _Educate_ me!" I said snidely, sitting next to him.

He glanced up at me, his eyes teary and shook his head.

"Not until I know I can trust you. We have to get to know each other better," he smirked and wiggled his eyebrows devilishly.

"Don't do that, please," I groaned, looking away. _He was just so bloody hot!_

"Why, pray tell?" he asked, pulling a red bag out of his bag.

"I can't say no when you do that," I mumbled into my robes and he grinned brightly.

"Really? Interesting…Chip?" he held out the bag, pulled out a triangular chip and stuffed it into his mouth whole, leaving a weird orange residue on his fingers.

"Umm, what are they?" I asked, wondering if they were some sort of Muggle drug.

"Doritos. Nacho Cheese. It's a Muggle thing," he shrugged and grabbed another one. I looked at him hestitantly before slowly picking one out of the bag and placing it in my mouth.

"Ohmygod, this is DELICIOUS!" I exclaimed and he laughed, his eyes glittering like stars.

"So, have you always looked 7 years old?" he asked casually, licking his fingers. We had devoured the bag and I was now transfiguring it into various items.

"Hey!" I shouted and punched him in the shoulder.

"What? Deny it, I dare you," he looked at me, a smirk on his face. I felt the blush rise to my cheeks and decided to shake my hair out of my eyes.

"It goes away once I turn 14," I shrugged. Guys usually didn't take this much interest in me.

"Huh. That'll be interesting to see," he replied, flipping his hair to one side. I breathed deep and smelled something sweet: Honeysuckle, my favorite plant.

"Why?" I asked, looking at him shyly. His cheeks flushed and he stood up, gathering his bag.

"Because I don't see how you could become any prettier," he stated simply and shot me a joking smile, with an eyebrow raised. I smiled, embarrassed, and he helped me up.

"I'm going to go to class now. Prof. Janis will kill me if I'm late!" he exclaimed and I brightened up. I didn't want lunch to end-I didn't want to leave him.

"I have that too! Come on, I know a shortcut!" I grabbed his sleeve and dragged him through a narrow passageway that led directly to the classroom.

The bell rang just as we sat down, and I did the unthinkable: I passed him a note!

_Alec,_

_Did you really mean that thing about me becoming prettier?_

_-Aves_

He looked at the note for a minute and nibbled on his quill before scratching an answer and passing it to me.

_Aves,_

_Of course. I'm not that big of a jerk._

_-Alec_

And I smiled.

**A/N: How'd I do? Tell true, you LOVED alec/aves! They are just ahdorable! Please review, as always flames as well as hugs are welcome. I accept any and all suggestion by the way, and theories feed my joy- so please! Now go, before I set Hector on you!**


	14. The Things One Sees By Starlight

**A/N: Hey, y'all. This is a really short chapter, because I have exams next week, and probably will only be posting every other day(then again, last time I said that I had 5 chapters released over that week, soo…) Thanks to the elves, I'm the doctor, weird-giraffe and our newest reviewer Kariann-Chan. To those who have noticed: it's not really JK Rowling Snape, but, according to my story line, she actually knew snape and made him all mean cause he hated on her. He just likes Cora. And HUG A SLYTHERIN day is every stinkin' day, in my world so, HA! This chapter is for Justin, I hope you get your fairytale moment!**

Mystery POV

Night had fallen over Hogwarts. Finally.

I grabbed my backpack and the note I had mysteriously found on my bed yesterday. I had read it over and over again, but I still couldn't believe what it said:

_Meet me in the Astronomy Tower tomorrow at 8._

_XOXO,_

_Justin_

The butterflies swirled in my stomach at his name. Justin Alquist, the handsome Hufflepuff with purple streaks in his hair. I couldn't remember NOT having a crush on him, it had been so long-even before Hogwarts. He had the most beautiful purple eyes, and I couldn't help it. Sweet, kind, funny and cute: he was perfect. Even if I was too young to fall in love, I had done exactly that.

The stairs wound lazily that night, as though they were encouraging me to go to the Tower. It must be destiny. It must be fate.

The corridor was empty and dark, dimly lit by the few flames in their sconces. Every portrait was snoring as I reached the winding staircase that led to the Tower. Astronomy was a class that we both adored, it was amazing how much we had in common. Except for the obvious…

_I still haven't asked him, but maybe he knows. Maybe he knows more than he's letting on. After all, he had signed his letter: XOXO!_

I pulled my wand out of my pocket and looked at it inquisitively: Cherry and Veela Hair engraved with the constellations. Ollivander had looked at me oddly when handing it to me, simply saying, "This wand is more powerful than you'd think. It will light up any darkness. Just as you can." I didn't understand his words at the time, but after this afternoon's incident, I couldn't help but wonder what he meant. Everywhere I go, I bring destruction, and pain.

"_Lumos!" _ I whispered, afraid of being swallowed by the dark. The stars always lit the sky, so you would never be in total darkness. That's why she had been so fascinated.

My wand lit brightly, paining my eyes. I hadn't expected that-after all, Lumos was only a minor lighting spell.

I continued up the stairs and into the balcony.

And then I saw him.

He was leaning against a wall, his purple streaks shining out of his black hair. As soon as he spotted my light, he whirled around, looking slightly dazed,

"Isabella?" he asked and I extinguished my wand. I felt my heart sink and hid behind a tall column. He didn't expect me, but I wanted to see whom he DID expect. Maybe then, my heart could be logical. Not that it ever was.

She climbed the stairs gracefully, her green robes fluttering behind her. The braids descended from her head to her waist and she had used copious amounts of black eyeliner and mascara to bring out her eyes. Despite my hate for her, I could understand his preference. She was beautiful, even _I _could see that. They would be the perfect couple.

"Oh, Justin," she whispered silkily as she hugged him close. I thought, for a moment, that she looked my way and smirked, but I shook my head. The bitch didn't have THAT many freakin' superpowers. Even though, compared to me, she had a great many.

I looked at Justin as he glanced lovingly into her eyes. I felt a sob rise to my throat, but I suppressed it. Back to old habits, I guess, huh? Suppressing my emotions.

She caressed his faced softly as he ran his hands through her hair. I tried to move, to escape the impending, but I felt my figure lock.

_Hadn't I already caused myself enough pain by seeing this?_

She smiled at him and pulled herself closer,

"I love you," she whispered seductively and pressed her lips onto his.

He seemed shocked at first, at he felt her lips work furiously against his, but after several seconds he gave in, fully participating in the kiss.

They broke apart a full minute later gasping for air, and clutching each other close.

I just sat there, and waited, hoping that he wouldn't say the unbelievable.

"I love you too," he mumbled into her ear and she smiled before puling in for another, even more passionate kiss.

If you placed a microphone over my heart, you would hear the sound of its shattering for miles and miles. I loved him, but who would go for _me_, instead of Isabella freakin' Carmicheal?

I felt the bonds around my feet loosen, and I ran away, wiping my tears. I could cry in the dormitory, but I wouldn't give ANYONE the satisfaction of seeing me cry outside of Gryffindor house.

Today, she would find out. She would find out, and I would be free. I'll show him what he's missed, the bastard. I'll show him what I'm made of.

**A/N: How'd I do? Place guesses for mystery POV in your reviews, and PLEASE don't base them off of others. I want your opinion, not mob mentality. Review, as always flames and hugs are welcome. Spaghetti Tacos to the world! Run off before I set Dumbledore on you(he's had a bad day-he ran out of lemon drops).**


	15. Famous Last Words

**A/N: Hey, you guys. I hope you loved my cliffhangin' chapter last time around. For those of you who hate riddles, no need to fret! The answer lies in this chapter, no sweat! (weird rhyme, but I was feeling like Dr. Seuss!) Thanks again to the Elves, weirdgiraffe, and im-the-doctor, for being amazing reviewers. I love you guys so much, I'm giving you homework.(that's what my old teacher used to say :P) This chapter is dedicated to Morgane and Leanna, for being there when I need them, giving me amazing inspiration and for being the best friends anyone could ask for!**

Cora's POV

"Wake up! Come on, Core, I'm sorry, but you have to get the hell up," I heard someone yell into my ear, but I rolled onto my other side and kept my eyes shut.

_I've caused enough trouble, I'll get up when my existence doesn't bring anyone pain._

"Chill, Lexi. She'll get up, soon enough," I heard Amber whisper. I also noticed that, despite the absence of any Stemming Draught, I felt in control. Nothing would go wrong.

_No, Core. You'll TRY to have nothing go wrong, but you'll kill someone this time. _

"Shut it, Amber. Will's shut himself in his room, I can HEAR his crying, but he won't talk to anyone but Cora," Lexi whispered back hurriedly, shaking me gently. I remained motionless.

"I thought you were trying to keep them apart," Amber said quizzically.

"Not if this is where it leads me. Cora and Will are the only people I've ever met who weren't afraid of me. I don't want to see her hurt, but they need each other," Lexi admitted sadly and I heard her kneel by my head.

"Hey! Don't I count?" Amber said jokingly, and Lex turned around, laughing softly.

"You're disgusted by me, it's not the same. We're COMPLETE opposites," Lex replied, placing a hand on her shoulder and collapsing on her bed, the springs creaking slightly.

"Got that right, Dracul," Amber snapped playfully, and I did my best to hide a snicker. I stretched dramatically, and sat up, but was given away by my wide eyes.

"How long have you been awake?" Amber asked me, as she shot a thin jet of water in my face.

"Long enough," I sat up and threw my legs over the side of my bed. Lexi looked at me sheepishly and I grinned, walking over to her bed shakily, my arms outstretched.

"Forgive me?" I asked, and she hugged me tightly, nearly lifting me off my feet.

"Friends?" she replied, a worried look on her face. I wove my arm through hers and Amber's.

"The best," I stated simply and we walked to the Common Room.

The Common Room was quite a sight: Aves, Amber, Lexi, the rest of the Gryffindor first-years and Jack were sitting by the fireplace, each in his pajamas. I noticed, with a giggle, Lexi's furious blush as she saw Jack, wearing a tight Puddlemere United t-shirt, which showed off his 6-pack. Amber saw this too and shot a thin line of water down her back, waking Lex from her reverie.

"Thank Merlin you're here, Cora! Will's locked the guys' dormitory and he's refusing to come out until he talks to YOU. Jack's tried to get in, but he only came back saying that he heard Will crying," Aves talked rapidly, her emerald eyes piercing my drowsiness.

"Okay. I'll go talk to him. Just try to keep EVERYONE out of there," I instructed Jack, and he nodded, shooting a smile at Lexi.

For once, she didn't notice.

She was staring at me, her eyes wide with worry. I smiled at everyone and hugged Aves tightly before making my way up the stairs. Halfway up, I heard a noise behind me and I whirled around, nearly falling down the stairs. Lexi's insane mahogany curls followed her up the stairs and she nearly crashed into me.

"Lex, what are you doing?" I asked, leaning against the banister.

"I just wanted to tell you to be careful. And tell Will I'll set him on fire if he does anything," she smiled slightly before running back down the stairs, leaving me shocked. I climbed the stairs nervously before reaching the door marked, "YEAR 1." I could hear him crying from behind the door, and I sighed.

_This is my fault. I've gotta make this right!_

I breathed deep and opened the door.

Will was sitting in the window alcove, wearing a pair of blue pajamas. His hair fell messily onto his face, and his glasses were on the ground, shattered. Every bed was neatly made, and I noticed countless astronomical posters pasted on one side of the room. I guessed that was Will's and I sat down on it. He spun around and squinted in my direction before sniffing loudly.

"Cora?"

"Yeah, Will. It's me. What happened?" I asked moving myself next to him. He ignored my question.

"Have you seen my glasses?" he inquired and I tapped them with my wand, muttering _Reparo, _before handing them to him_. _

He smiled gratefully and threw back his hair.

"Have you ever had a secret that you couldn't tell anyone?" he asked me, his voice catching in his throat.

_What was he getting at?_

"Yes, but people can read me like an open book," I replied and he chuckled.

"It's your eyes," he looked out, as though debating whether or not to jump.

"Will, please. Don't," I placed my hand on his shoulder and he turned his head to me quizzically.

"Why not?" he asked, raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow.

"I need you," I answered, scooting closer to him. He shook his head and stared me urgently in the eyes.

"Cora, is it true? What Lexi said, that you like me?" he asked, his voice serious. I felt the blood rushing to my face, but I didn't mind. This was MY moment - I could blush. My heart was thudding at a normal speed as I saw his face; it wasn't curious, but desperate.

"Well….yeah," I replied, looking down.

_God, why does everything have to sound like a sappy romance novel?_

"Seriously, Cora? ME?" he shook my shoulders, but pulled his hands away quickly. I had stung him, I supposed that was an instinct. They were pink and I placed them on my lap before running my fingers gently over his palm lines, watching in awe as the flesh healed.

"Yes," I whispered and looked at him gently. He looked as though he was about to laugh and I felt my ears get red.

"Merlin's beard, Cora. We're in some deep shit," he commented and wiped his eye, leaving a light black residue on his temple. _Eyeliner? Or dirt from the floor…_

"Why? I can deal with Aidan, it's not a problem," I smiled at him nervously.

"Well, yeah. Except for the fact that you've missed something. You're forgetting something," he placed his head on his hand and smiled at me mischievously.

"Crap, you have a girlfriend. No wonder, no guy like you would be SINGLE!" I exclaimed and buried my head in my arms. He laughed loudly and stood up fully.

"Look at me closely, Cora. What do you see?" he asked, and I began to circle him.

"Is this a trick question? You're perfect," I looked down as he frowned.

"Far from it. What about now?" he asked, turning back from the bowl of water on his dresser.

I squinted at his face and raised an eyebrow, spotting several zits that hadn't been there thirty seconds ago. The shadows under his eyes were much more prominent and his eyes not as obvious.

"Okay, you got me. Girls would kill for your secret," I grinned and he rolled his eyes frustratingly.

"Geez, Cora, isn't it obvious?" he exclaimed, gripping his hair madly.

"_Obviously_ not," I winced, waiting for him to scream at me. He didn't.

Instead, he sat down close to me and looked me in the eyes, as though he was already regretful for what he was about to say. He leaned to me, and I smelled his cologne, musky and warm. His hands wrapped around mine and he breathed in deeply before straightening up.

"Cora, I'm gay."

"Pardon?" I asked, hoping that I had heard him wrong.

"Gay, Core. I have been for a year now. That's why Lexi was pissed at me. She knew, and she thought I was screwing with you head," he looked at me cautiously as I stared blankly.

_He's gay. Oh my god, he's GAY! _

"How idiotic do I look to you right now?" I asked, raising a hand to my trembling lips. This explained everything, from the fact that he seemed so perfect (after all, no straight guy is!), to the fact that he didn't respond to me.

"Not idiotic at all. In fact, you are quite adorable," he said softly, pulling me into a hug.

I heard my heart stop beating furiously and just slow as we hugged each other tightly, finally on the same page.

"God, I'm such a selfish bitch! What happened with you?" I asked, pulling away. His face fell and he collapsed on his bed.

"I got this note yesterday," he grumbled, handing me a note reading:

_Meet me in the Astronomy Tower tomorrow at 8._

_XOXO,_

_Justin_

"Justin? As in Justin Alquist?" I squealed and he grinned sheepishly, moving a curl behind my ear.

"Yeah, I kinda liked him," he frowned before looking away, tears in his eyes.

"Did you go?" I asked, my curiosity burning deep.

"I went. And I saw him, being snogged by Isabella Carmicheal," he fell back and placed his arms behind his head.

"That WHORE! How dare she?" I shouted and he smiled, placing a hat on my head. It didn't even fit over my ears.

"She has a right to him if he's her boyfriend. I was just hoping he'd be gay, too. He doesn't exactly LOOK straight," Will shrugged and stood up, slipping into his robes and tapping his eyes dry before applying a thin layer of eyeliner and cover-up.

"I hope you'll be okay, Core. You're one of the best people I've ever met, and I'd hate to lose you because of this," he gestured to his made-up face and I grinned.

"This makes you even more awesome. I'm 13, anyways. I'm not exactly supposed to find my soulmate. Not yet," I hugged him before walking with him down the stairs.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Core. You and Aidan…"he said coyly, raising an eyebrow.

"Aidan's an ass. After what he did to both of us, he's dead to me," I stated simply, and jumped down two steps.

"Well, then your soulmate will be an immensely lucky guy," Will smiled, showing me his healed hands.

"What you did back there, that was a miracle. You don't have to go this alone, we're not going anywhere," he said, grinning widely as we entered the Common Room.

Aves, Lex and Amber ran over and hugged Will, before running over to me. I nodded and whispered,

"I know now. Please, never ever try to protect my feelings again," I stated, looking them in the eye. They nodded and continued on to the Great Hall for breakfast, me promising to join them later. Isabella was going to PAY!

Aidan's POV

_It was a dream. I didn't confess to Cora and Will, and when I wake up, it will still be Monday. _

"Yo, Aidan! Wake up, man, it's Tuesday. We have that Potions test!" Alec yelled, already fully dressed in his robes over a black button-down shirt, a vest and a pair of skinny black jeans over his boots.

_And thank you, Alec, for that wonderful wake-up call!_

I pulled on a pair of jeans and a green polo, before grabbing my bag and thumping out of the door.

"So, Alec. When are you meeting Aves?" I asked, off-handedly, as he caught up to me, Isabella and Jordan at his heels.

"Alec would never go for such half-breed scum," Isabella said arrogantly, wiping a stray lash from her cheek before shooting me a dazzling smile. I puked a little in my mouth: the bitch was TOO pretty. She was like an evil, possessed Barbie doll. Jordan rolled her eyes and strode forward, looking away from Alec. Isabella glared at Alec before running ahead to keep up with her best friend.

"Well?" I turned to Alec, who looked like a beet.

"How…I mean…uh," he stammered, looking down.

"How could you tell?" he looked at me, a sheepish grin on his face.

"No straight guy dresses THAT nicely, unless he's trying to impress. Plus, I saw the way you looked at her," I patted him on the back and he shrugged it off.

"I don't think I can. You saw Iz," he gestured to Isabella, and shook his head sadly.

"Iz doesn't know shit about love. She likes you too, man. Go for it. Don't make my mistake," I looked down and felt his eyes on my face.

"Dude, cheer up. You never know, they may break up, and then you can go for it!" Alec said brightly but I chuckled darkly and straightened up.

"After what happened yesterday? After what _I _did? I'll be happy if she doesn't hate me," I shook my bangs to the left and sped up, Alec keeping my pace easily.

Suddenly, I heard a loud scream and I rounded the corner. The sight shocked me, as I recognized a furious Cora screaming over Isabella, who towered over my petite girl, her face impassive, as though Cora were a piece of gum on her shoe.

"You filthy BITCH! How low does one have to sink to get to your level?" Cora yelled shrilly.

"I don't know what you're talking about, I'm afraid," Isabella said snottily, not daring to look at Cora.

"I'm talking about how very SLUTTY you were with Justin Alquist last night! Honestly, I wouldn't give a damn, but you HAD to invite an audience. You broke their heart, you know," I saw Cora's eyes widen, like they always were when she tried to appeal to someone's better nature. Only problem was, Isabella had none.

"Justin is MY boyfriend. I believe I have a right to be as slutty with him as I please. And why should I care if someone's heart is broken?" Isabella threw back her hair and laughed evilly, while Cora narrowed her eyes.

"Have you no heart? Have you no shame?" Cora spoke, becoming increasingly louder. I saw her eyes darken, and I felt the air around us become warmer and warmer. Hesitantly, I stepped forward, but was stopped by an intense pain in my arm. When I glanced at it, to see what was wrong, I saw that there was blood writing something out on my arm. It read, "_Follow any orders…Do NOT intervene!" _I swore loudly as I realized what the writing meant: The Unbreakable Vow. I'd die if I interfered.

"No, I have none," Isabella said impassively before looking down at her.

"And I have no wish to have one. Being heartless has its…perks," she pushed Cora away and began striding towards the Great Hall, laughing maliciously.

"THAT BITCH! THAT SLUTTY BITCH!" Cora screamed, tearing at her hair. I felt the blood in my arm give way, and I ran forward to her, my face worried.

"Cora, are you okay?" I asked, trying to place a hand on her shoulder. As soon as I came near her, a shot of electricity stung my hand, leaving a red scar on my palm.

"You were THERE the entire time, and you didn't do anything?" Cora whispered, shocked, as she pulled away.

"You and Isabella, eh? You guys are two of a kind! Lying, cheating SLYTHERINS!" she screamed, tears in her eyes.

"I wish I could explain, Core. But I can't!" I yelled after her and she turned on her heel, rounding on me.

"No, you WON'T! Of course you COULD, but you choose not to. Well, fine. Two can play that game," she exclaimed, pointing at me.

"Cora, please. What do you mean?" I looked down at her and she bit her lip. My eyes were wide, and I felt my cheeks become wet with tears.

"You play with my head, Aidan, and I will choose not to exist in your life. The second you stop playing with my head, and tell the TRUTH, is when I will come back," Cora said, and turned on her heel, walking away.

She hesitated for a moment before running back and wiping the tears gently off my face. Then, she placed my wounded hand in hers and ran her fingers over the scar, her eyes closed. The scar healed instantly and I looked at her. Her eyes were of the clearest blue, just like the waters of Greece. Again, she seemed to be biting her bottom lip, debating something in her head. Finally, she stopped, and looked at me, a sad little smile on her face. She got onto her tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek, before running away swiftly, towards the Great Hall.

I stood there for a long time, my hand on the spot where she had kissed me. My heart thumped a dull, broken rhythm in my chest, but I didn't care. A kiss from the girl I loved, no matter how small - THAT was something worth dying for.

**A/N: How'd I do? For most of you, I realize that the whole **_**Will is gay**_** thing may have been a shocker, so I'm giving out virtual paper bags for any hyperventilators. The rest of you will just have to make origami out of it. This time around I leave a challenge for my loyal reviewers. I'm sure many of you have already heard of DeviantArt. Well my challenge to you, is to create an image of either a scene or any character from the story and post it on DeviantArt, leaving me a link and such in your review. If you are one of those people who can't draw, then you can write a short story(not like multiple chapters) revolving around the past experiences of any character (not one created by JK Rowling). Now, of course participation is optional, but if you do decide to complete the challenge, it is due by the 1****st**** of July, and any participants will get a chance to, wait for it, collaborate on a scene of their choice. Okay, review please! As always, flames and hugs are welcome… **


	16. Hogsmeade Happenings

**A/N: Hey! Sorry for the delay, but the news today was hilarious! This is a fluffy filler, but for those of you who love Lex/Jack and Aves/Alec (aka Morgane, Leanna) you'll be quite happy. Thanks to weirdgiraffe, the Elves and im-the-doctor for reviewing. So far only the Elves have been bold enough to accept my challenge. The rest of y'all are yellow! Enjoy the chapter, cuz I loved writing it. Hogsmeade is the bestest place ever. This chapter is for Morgane…**

Cora's POV

The week passed uneventfully. I couldn't help but look at Aidan every once in a while. My heart thudded loudly every single time I spotted his messy blonde hair and handsome face, or every time I heard his voice, but I told myself it was out of anger, or even hate. But I knew that wasn't the reason. And so did Will.

"I told you so," Will said, as we sat in the library, completing a complex number chart for Arithmancy. I had just glanced at Aidan, who was passing by the library, with Alec and Isabella by his side, as always.

"Sod off, Will," I grumbled, lowering my head deeper into my book.

"There's no use denying it to us, you know," Aves said, her face breaking out into a huge grin. I glared her down before returning to the chart. Arithmancy had become my favorite subject, but it was ridiculously hard. Aves found it easy of course, as she did with everything. Except for Potions. Everything she tried to brew turned into this green concoction, which smelled sweetly of honeysuckle but did absolutely nothing. I suppose it was her elf magic.

"You know something, I'll just do this later. I can't think," I pushed the chart away and Aves stared at me, appalled.

"Cora! The purpose of homework, you know…we believe it's the foundation of all good education, as made known by our greatest teachers, that comprehensiveness be chosen over…. the opposite," she stared at me, and I burst out laughing, Lexi, Amber, and Will snickering loudly beside me.

"Aves, you need candy. Desperately," Lexi commented, before reaching into her bag and pulling out a bag of lemon drops. I giggled into my hand and Will shot me a weird look. We had become really close friends since he had confessed his…situation to me. He felt comfortable discussing things with me, more so than with Lexi even.

"Will, it's _lemon_ drops," I said, nodding at the bag. He caught on and snickered: Dumbledore's favorite sweet in Harry Potter had been lemon drops.

"No, but seriously. I'm severely dying of boredom here, and we can do our homework tomorrow. I want to go to Hogsmeade!" I said, smirking maliciously.

"You know, that's not that bad of an idea," Lexi glanced at me, a wide grin on her face.

"What?" I asked, already terrified.

"You want Hogsmeade? Fine, you let ME take care of your outfit. Oh, and Aves' too," she smiled ecstatically and I felt my heart sink. Lexi had great sense of style, don't get me wrong, it's just that she tended to come up with the most uncomfortable outfits.

"Fine," I said grumpily, crossing my arms in front of my chest. Lexi jumped up and grabbed Aves and me by the elbows, dragging us out of the library, Amber and Will jogging to catch up.

"I have a feeling I'm going to seriously regret this," I whispered in Will's ear and he winked at me.

"Don't worry- I won't let her go insane on the makeup."

Thankfully, the Common Room was empty, since everyone was either studying or at Hogsmeade, enjoying their weekend.

"Okay, Will. You get your makeup bag and meet me downstairs in about 15 minutes, okay?" Lexi instructed bossily, and he bowed in return, running up the stairs.

We walked up the stairs and Lex decided to deal with Aves first, as she was the easiest. After looking her up and down critically for several seconds, she nodded and began to rifle through her trunk. It seemed quite strange at first, because Aves was no more than three-fifths of Lex's height, but then it came to me: Shrinking Charms. We'd been practicing them in Charms and Lexi had shown aptitude in that particular aspect. Then again, she DID copy my essay for History of Magic, but no one paid attention except for me anyways.

"Okay, Aves," she said, straightening up with a pile of clothes in her arms. I saw Aves cringe in horror as she spotted a pink, sequined top with cutouts that exposed WAY too much skin for my taste.

Lex placed her in front of a mirror and began to hold up several articles of clothing, criticizing herself on each choice. Finally, she settled on a black t-shirt with golden print that read, "_Where is the Chosen One?"_ and a pair of skinny jeans with leopard print. In addition, she pulled out a pair of black leather boots and then asked Aves for her respective sizes. She began shrinking the clothes, and handed them, tailor-made, to Aves. I shot her a look of sympathy, but gasped in shock when I saw her fully dressed in her outfit. She looked amazing, and quite taller than she actually was.

"Darn, there's something missing….Right, a leather jacket!" Lexi exclaimed, pulling one out of her trunk and shrinking it to Aves' size. Aves grabbed it swiftly and ran down the stairs, eager to avoid any further suggestions.

"Okay, Cora, it's your turn. Time to make Aidan wish he'd never messed with Will," Lexi said, pulling out a large armful of clothes from her trunk.

"Amber, do me a favor and soak her hair to a towel-dried level. I'm going to have Will straighten it," Lex nodded to Amber, and I felt my hair become wet. Lexi placed a towel around my shoulders and began holding up different shirts. After quite some time, she settled on a long-sleeved deep blue shirt made of the oddest fabric that shone like silk but felt like cashmere. I nearly fainted when I noticed that it was as warm as a jacket, so I wouldn't need anything on top, except for a scarf to cover the outrageous V-Neck. She shrunk it down to fit me, before handing me a pair of nearly whitewashed jeans and my black Converse.

I stepped in front of the mirror tentatively and my breath caught in my throat. I didn't look bad. At all. Finally, Lexi handed me a thin silver necklace with a charm shaped like a sun. I smiled and waited for them to pull something on, before skipping downstairs, where Aves was waiting, grumpily looking at herself in the mirror. Will had applied a thin line of dark eyeliner around her eyes, as well as clipped several fake black highlights in her neon-red hair.

He didn't spend too much time on my face, except for applying a light blush and some eyeliner. He spent more time on my hair, straightening every strand. I checked my watch and cringed when I noticed that it had, in fact taken us less than a half-hour to get ready. That gave Lexi incentive to do this every day. And I couldn't deal with THAT!

Aves' POV

Somebody kill me. Now, please, before Alec sees me in this getup. One day, I would find the person who invented makeup and murder them. And then burn their body in the dead of night and throw their ashes to the Dragons of Gringotts for dinner!

We walked out of the Castle doors and onto the path that led to Hogsmeade. The weather was crisp and cold, like a perfect autumn day, warning us of the winter to come. The path wound around the Black Lake, leading to the Station. Finally, we arrived and I heard everyone gasp audibly. The village was beautiful; each store nestled to the next as though they were huddling for warmth. They were made of stone, with ivy running up the walls in graceful patterns. We decided to split up into small groups, considering we each had different places we wanted to go. Amber and I decided to go into Tomes and Scrolls, as we both wanted to take a look at some books. I breathed in deeply as we entered the fairly tall store, which smelled wonderfully of new books and ink. Amber smiled at me and pointed coyly at a boy in the corner, bending over a large book. It was Alec. I looked at her pleadingly and she winked, before climbing the spiral stairs to go to an upper level.

"Hey," I whispered softly, and he looked up dazedly. His eyes went wide as he laid eyes on my outfit, and he grinned widely.

"Hey. You look amazing," he commented before closing the book and getting up to hug me.

"Thanks. You're not so bad yourself," I smiled crookedly, glancing at his black outfit.

"I try," he shrugged and I snorted. Loudly.

"Sorry," I said sheepishly, feeling my face get beet red. I hated that.

"Don't be. It's adorable," he said, sitting on an overstuffed chair and patting the seat next to him. I sat down and looked at him quizzically. He was frowning.

"What's wrong?" I asked, placing my hand on his. Alec pulled his hand back and looked deep into my eyes.

"I don't think we should do this anymore," he said, biting his lip so hard, it bled.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily," I stated, flipping my hair back. His eyes warmed and he put his long arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him.

"That's good," he whispered, and I felt his lips press against my head softly.

"Come on, I want to show you something," I pulled him up and yanked the door open, sprinting towards the Forbidden Forest. I saw him on my heels, keeping up easily, due to his long legs. At long last, we reached the clearing.

I had discovered this place a week after Cora's hospitalization, when I had needed a place to think. It was perfect, the ground covered with moss and with a willow tree in the center, right by the clear spring that ran through the forest, and into the Lake. And then they came.

Thestrals.

They came hesitantly at first, but then by the tens, once they figured out that I could communicate with them. I had never seen such beautifully terrifying creatures. Large skeletal and reptilian horses that moved with such regal grace, they would make Alexandreiana Dracul look like a bumbling fool.

Alec stopped dead in his tracks as soon as he entered the clearing behind me.

"Aves, what are those?" he asked, and I smiled. He could see them, but that meant that he had seen death.

"Those are Thestrals. Winged, reptilian horses. Come here," I explained, holding out my hand. He took it hesitantly and allowed me to lead him nearer. I recognized the Thestral instantly: it was Aethelraed, the female herd leader. She saw Alec and raised her head protectively, whinnying softly.

_Mistress, you promised you wouldn't bring anyone! I must keep my herd safe!_

"I know, Aethelraed, and I apologize for breaking my promise. But he won't hurt anybody," I assured him and she bowed deeply.

_If Master has won Mistress' trust, then he has won our allegiance as well. Mistress, several of our herd have disappeared over the past few days. I have tried to follow, but there seems to be some magical barrier protecting the creature that is slaughtering my people. We were wondering if you could help._

"I'll try, Aethelraed. I'll come back tomorrow night, and we can go together."

_We thank you, Mistress. Come forth, my children!_

The other thestrals came out of the woods, striding across the moss without a sound. One of the foals ran forward and I laughed as he tripped over a root.

_Mistress, Mistress! Have you brought any more bacon? I learned how to glide today!_

I smiled and patted the little foal on the head.

"Sorry, Leoric. I don't have any bacon this time. But I did bring a friend. This is Alec. Alec, this is Leoric," I took Alec's hand and placed several sugarberries in his palm, holding it outstretched to Leoric.

"You can talk to animals?" Alec said, as he watched Leoric's black tongue sweep the berries off his hand.

"I've been able to since I was 8. Magical creatures and everything," I said, looking down. I hated bragging about my gift. It made me feel stuck up and bitchy.

"You're amazing," I heard Alec whisper in my ear, and he kneeled down to pet Leoric's head.

I looked at him and smiled. He was kinder and sweeter than any guy I had ever met in my life. At that moment, I realized I had fallen for him, head over heels. There was no going back. And I didn't mind one bit.

Lexi's POV

All I could think about at this moment was candy. Honeydukes candy, in particular.

So, naturally, as soon as we split up, I grabbed Cora by the hand and dragged her into the famous sweet shop.

Every wall of the store was covered in glass containers filled with various sweets, such as Chocolate Frogs or Acid Pops. I breathed in deeply and felt my blood warm with the smell of warm chocolate. Cora ran over to a section marked, "Sour Sweets," and began fawning over the Acid Pops, which were legendary for their sting. I, however, went to the Novelty Sweet section, in search for the best candy of all: Blood-flavored Lollipops.

"Well, hello there. If it isn't the bloodsucker of the year," I heard a snide voice behind me and I whirled around, only to see Jordan, Isabella's right-hand hench-bitch. Her ice blond hair fell to her shoulders, and she scrutinized me critically with cold, grey eyes.

"Hi, there. Aren't you one of Isabella's sidekicks?" I asked, putting as much acid into my voice as I could. I could smell the mousse in my hair smoking. I smiled in satisfaction as her eyes narrowed in fury.

"You'll regret that, Dracul," she said coldly, turning on her heel. Then she turned around, smirking,

"Who do you think Jack will choose in the end? You, a measly Romanian halfbreed gypsy, or his beautiful, rich pureblood girlfriend? Don't kid yourself. You're nothing to him," she sneered and I turned back at the shelf, to hide the tears in my eyes. It didn't work as well as I'd hoped though because someone heard my quiet sobs. The last person I wanted to see.

"Lex, what's wrong?" Jack asked, pulling a white handkerchief out of his jacket pocket and handing it me. I declined it and stared at him, furious.

"Stop playing with me. Just go away. Go to your girlfriend for all I care!" I shrieked and Cora looked up from the stand, before running over and placing a hand on my shoulder.

"What? Lexi, I don't have a girlfriend," Jack pleaded with me as I tried to extinguish my hair, to no avail. It continued smoking, on the brink of flame.

"Yeah, right. Look at me, Jack. What do YOU see? I'm just a pretty face to you, like I am to EVERYONE! You don't care if I have feelings. Well, I REFUSE to be the other woman. I won't help you cheat," I yelled and Cora's eyes went blank as I felt my hair become colder and colder.

"Lex, I don't just see a pretty face. I see a person too proud to admit their insecurities, and a person so brave they'll do anything for those they love. I don't have a girlfriend, Lex, because of YOU," Jack stated, turning on his heel and purchasing something, before exiting the store. Everyone stood and stared for a while, before I gathered my jacket and ran out after him, to rousing applause.

"Jack!" I yelled and he turned, his face beaming. He ran to me and pulled me into a tight hug, nearly lifting my feet off the ground.

"You ran after me," he said, looking at me amazedly.

"Naturally," I stated, snuggling into his chest, breathing in his wooden cologne. His warm grey eyes rested on my face, and I held him close, never wanting to let go.

We walked around for a while, his arm wrapped around my waist, before reaching the shores of the Black Lake. He sat down, and pulled me gently onto his lap.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Lollipop?" he asked pulling a blood-flavored lollipop out of his coat and handing it to me. I shot him a wide smile, showing off all my teeth.

"That's going to take some getting used to. But I've seen weirder," he joked and I punched him on the arm, hard.

He merely smiled softly and kissed me on the lips, as gently as he could, his lips barely brushing against mine. I pulled away, and shot him a mischievous look.

"Oh, so you think I'm that easy to get? Nuh-uh, after today, it's going to go right back to me giving you the cold shoulder," I said and he laughed loudly.

"I can deal with that. I'll get you someday, after all," he said, throwing a smooth rock into the water.

"Keep dreaming, lover boy," I teased and stood up, walking back to the village, my head held high.

I felt his eyes on my head as I walked away and grinned to myself.

_And now I know he'll come back…_

**A/N: How'd I do? Raise your hands in the air if you absolutely LOVE Jack and Alec at this point! For all you Aidan fans, he's coming in the next chapter, so no worries. Please review. Flames and Hugs are welcome- Acid Pops to everyone! I really would love to get to 100 reviews by my birthday( July 25) so, I hope that you guys can make it happen. That would be the best present EVER! I can't wait for the challenge results… I love you guys! **


	17. A New Arrival

**A/N Hey guys! I hope you guys are not going into diabetic shock because of the sweetness in last chapter. Thanks to weirdgiraffe, the Elves and im-the-doctor for reviewing so kindly. And thank you guys for supporting me, I have half a hundred thousand words in my story now! This is quite the interesting chapter, especially for you Aidan fans(and I know that's basically all of you). I am sorry to report that still, only the Elves have been bold enough to accept the challenge. I'm going to begin a countdown at the end of each chapter, reading how many days you have left. I hope it helps. This chapter is dedicated to Morgane(I'm planning to chain you to my house-you're not leaving!) and Skye.**

Cora's POV

A grin spread across my face, a mile wide, as Lex ran out the door after Jack. Hopefully, she'll just admit it from now on.

I gathered about 5 Avid Pops in my hand, as well as several Ice Mice, and walked over to the cashier, to pay for my purchases.

"That'll be a Galleon, 2 Sickles and a Knut, dear," Mrs. Flume said, and I handed her the money, grabbing my bag and heading back out into the crisp autumn air.

"Cora?" I heard a voice say behind me. I blushed wildly- I'd recognize his deep voice anywhere. Aidan.

I turned around, and sure enough, he was sitting on the bench by Honeydukes, eating a Chocolate Frog.

"Aidan," I said, putting as much venom in my voice as I could. He winced, and I looked away, embarrassed that I had hurt him.

"I thought we had an agreement. I'm still not talking to you."

"That may be, but our agreement never mentioned anything about us BEING together," he retorted, a wide smile on his face. Unwillingly, I smiled back and he weaved his arm through mine, before pulling me into the Three Broomsticks. He found a table in the corner of the pub, barely seen by anyone.

"Hello, dears. What can I get you today?" Madam Rosmerta asked, coming to our table and looking at us inquisitively.

"2 Butterbeers please," Aidan answered, before I could open my mouth. She nodded and went back to the bar, collecting all her orders.

"So, Cora. You look beautiful," he commented, looking me up and down. I ignored him and sipped my butterbeer, relishing in the warm, butterscotch drink as it flowed down my throat.

"Oh, so that's how it's going to be? Fine, I can keep talking for both of us," he said, looking at me, as though judging how long it would take for me to give in.

"Aidan? What are you doing here? You were supposed to meet me at Madam Puddifoot's ages ago!" I heard a voice yell, and I shrunk down as I spotted Isabella running to my table. My heart caught in my throat, and I turned to Aidan, furious.

"You still don't get it, do you? Stop. Screwing. With. Me," I said, downing my Butterbeer in one gulp.

"Aid-oh. If it isn't the Mudblood Gryffindor," Isabella sneered, whipping her hair back arrogantly.

"Don't worry, I'm going now, so my filthy blood can't spoil your robes. Aidan, stay the hell away from me!" I shrieked, and ran out the door.

Hogsmeade didn't look as charming as it had before. It now looked like a haunted village and I felt the tears running down my face, as I sprinted up the path, not seeing anything in front of me. And then I crashed into something. Something massive, but soft.

"Easy, there. What are ya' doin', runnin' blind like that?" Hagrid asked, placing his big hands on my shoulders.

"Oh, Hagrid!" I exclaimed, hugging him close.

"Cora! I haven't seen ya since the firs' day! What's wrong?" he inquired leading me into his hut.

"Nothing important. Just guy trouble," I said, collapsing on an immense wooden chair.

"Who? I can set Fang on 'im," Hagrid smiled as I laughed loudly.

"How 'bout some tea and biscuits?" he said, placing a kettle on the stove, and lighting a fire under it with his umbrella.

"Yes, please, Hagrid," I said, sniffing loudly. He smiled widely and placed a plate of biscuits the size of my face in front of me. Despite their rock-hard consistency, they tasted quite good, like cinnamon and nutmeg.

"So, how come you're not taking Care of Magical Creatures. I'd expected you to be there," Hagrid said, his lips forming a small puppy face. I took a small bite of a cookie and frowned.

"I didn't have time in my schedule. Between Arithmancy, Divination and Ancient Runes…" I began and he cut me off.

"Not ter mention, yer new powers," he said wisely, as the kettle whistled loudly. He jumped up and poured the tea into two immense mugs, handing me one with sugar and cream.

"How d'you know about that?" I asked and he shot me a mischievous look.

"News travels fast," he stated, sitting down next to me. "How are you taking it?"

"Not that bad, I guess. I just keep worrying that something like Seth will happen again. I keep hurting everyone, but I don't know how to stop," I said, taking a sip of the red tea, relishing in the sour, berry taste.

"I see yer problem. Yer heart's too big," he stated, looking at me with his warm eyes.

"Thanks, Hagrid. You're the best," I got up and hugged him tightly, as he patted my back.

"Hey, yeh know something? How 'bout we practice for a bit?" he asked, standing up.

"Naw, Hagrid. I don't want to hit you in the head," I laughed, and gulped my tea.

"Hey, now. I'm eight feet of rock hard bone, nothin's gonna happen," he reassured me, and opened the door.

"You are officially my favorite person ever!" I exclaimed and ran out the door, pulling on my shoes.

"'Kay then. I don't know much, so jus' tell me what ya want me to do," he said, standing in the field. I decided to try and levitate him.

"Stay there, and don't move. I want to try and levitate you," I instructed, and he pulled off his coat, standing still as a statue.

I focused my eyes on him and raised my hands slowly, feeling his weight struggle against gravity. Finally, he began to rise, slowly, like a corkscrew in the sky. I let him down gently, but my strength gave out at the last minute, and he fell the last foot.

"Sorry! But my strength gave out," I explained, pulling him to his feet.

"No, no. Yeh did great!" he patted me on the back, and my knees nearly buckled.

"Okay. I'd like to try forcefields and such, so I'm going to literally try and make you fall," I instructed, and he nodded, preparing himself. I cleared my hand and raised my hands in front of my body, palms towards him. I felt him stand in front of me, an obstacle to my free movement. Inhaling deeply, I pulled back my hands and then pushed towards him, willing the strings on my fingers to become titanium rods. It worked.

Hagrid flew back about 15 feet, landing right into a pile of firewood. I heard him groan and I sprinted over. He seemed to be covered in bruises and cuts, as well as having his leg at quite an odd angle.

"Oh my god, Hagrid. I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed, and he chuckled softly.

"Are you kidding me? I haven't had this much fun in a long time. Now, if you could get Madam Pomfrey…" he groaned and lifted himself off the firewood, avoiding his broken leg.

"I got it. Just stay still. I can heal, too," I said, bragging just a little. I could heal those I hurt, and that mattered to me.

"You can? Huh, that's unbelievable," Hagrid mused and I winked. I calmed my mind and felt my eyes go clear again. My hands moved over his wounded body, and I felt his bones heal in place, the cuts close up and the bruises vanish. Once I was finished, I felt exhausted, as though I had pulled the energy from myself. Hagrid stood up and stretched, laughing loudly.

"I haven't felt this good in ages, Cora, I thank you. But it's getting dark, let's get you back inside," he gestured to the Castle, and I stood up, walking with him inside, my arm gripping his tightly. The world began to spin, and I collapsed on the ground.

And then I saw nothing.

Xxxxxxxx

Aidan's POV

"Seriously, Isabella? I thought you were going to HELP me. That's not HELPING!" I shouted, as Cora ran out of the Three Broomsticks.

"Yes it is, dear. That's Phase 2: make her jealous," she placed her hands on her hips, as though that had been the most obvious thing in the world.

"Fine, but I'll make her jealous, okay? And DEFINITELY not with you!" I pushed her away, and stormed into the village. Cora was nowhere to be seen, so I slumped back into Hogwarts Castle.

_The Common Room should be empty, no one's there on a Hogsmeade day!_

"_Sanguine Purus!"_ I exclaimed, placing my hand on the moist brick engraved with a snake. The wall melted away, revealing the arched corridor leading to the Slytherin Common Room. I walked in and looked around. And then I saw her.

She was sitting by the fireplace, a large sketchpad on her knees. Her back was to me, so I only saw her straight hair falling to her shoulders, the color of coffee beans. But, the weird thing was, I hadn't seen her before.

"Hey, do I know you?" I asked and she whirled around, the sketchpad falling to the ground. She hadn't heard me come in.

"It'd be quite odd if you did. I just transferred here from the Cape Town Academy in South Africa," she smiled and stood up.  
>She was taller than Cora, but not quite as pretty. However, whilst Cora seemed to radiate sunlight, this girl seemed to radiate moonlight, with her pale skin. Her eyes were a very light green, the color of lime juice, and they scrutinized me brightly. She had thin lips and a heart-shaped, angular face. Her arms were crossed in front of her, emphasizing her gentle hourglass figure. Despite her nice demeanor, she looked evil and cunning, but not in the way Isabella did.<p>

"Dude, you're staring," she commented, through a barely noticeable accent.

"Sorry. I'm Aidan," I introduced myself, holding my hand out.

"I'm Lia. Lia Munroe," she smiled crookedly and shook my hand. I was struck by how tiny her hands were, and how thin and fragile her wrists seemed.

"Nice to meet you," I grinned, and bent down, picking up her sketchbook.

"What were you drawing?" I glanced down and saw a complex pencil sketch of a seashore, and cityscape in the sunset. She was an amazing artist, I could almost feel the wind on my face and the smell of the saltwater.

"That's Durban, a city on the coast. It's beautiful, and my family spends every summer there, in a cabin right on the beach," she replied, smiling absentmindedly at the picture.

"The picture doesn't do it justice, though," she commented, before taking the sketchpad and collapsing back down on the couch.

"You're too hard on yourself. It's really good," I assured her, before sitting next to her.

"So, are you a paraxene?" I asked her, and she grinned widely.

"Ja. I mean, yes. Sorry, I'm still used to Afrikaans," she blushed pink and hid her face in her thick hair.

"Don't worry about it. What can you do?" I inquired eagerly. Paraxene powers usually reflected one's personality, and I found them fascinating.

"I'm just a Shielder. I block out things both physically and mentally. No Manipulater powers work on me, as well as Reader, Drainer and Wiper powers. Basically, any power that effects people, doesn't work on me," she explained, and I raised an eyebrow.

"Really? May I try?" I challenged and she looked at me, rolling her eyes.

"Knock yourself out."

I levitated the biggest book in the room and flew it to her as fast I could make it. However, as soon as it had reached 2 feet away from her, it simply bounced off, and landed on the floor, the loud noise echoing around the Common Room.

"Shit," I commented and she laughed, her hair shaking out of her eyes. I heard her stomach rumble and smirked.

"Hungry?" I asked her and she nodded. I held out my hand, and she took it tentatively, raising a thin eyebrow. I pulled her out of the Common Room and into the corridor with the Fruit Bowl painting.

"Where are we?" she exclaimed, clutching her side as she gasped for air.

"The kitchens," I winked and tickled the pear, which giggled, to Lia's amazement, and caused the painting to swing open and reveal the immense kitchen.

"Master Vestey! Welcome back to the kitchens! I already have the house-elves preparing your usual, but who is your companion?" the lead house-elf, Abra, asked, sweeping some flour neatly off her apron.

"Abra this is Lia Munroe. She's a new student from South Africa," I said, and Abra bowed to Lia. Lia looked at me and curtsied in return. Abra gasped and walked up to her, her big eyes wet with tears.

"Did Mistress just bow to Abra? No witch or wizard has ever bowed to Abra before. Name anything you wish to have, Mistress, and it shall be yours," Abra gasped, wiping her eyes hurriedly on her sleeve.

"Oh, wow. Do you guys have any Biltong and Koeksisters? Because I would LOVE some of that with a cup of tea," Lia asked politely, bending down to Abra's level. Abra smiled widely and nodded, before hurrying off to make her order herself. I snickered and Lia shot me a biting look.

"They have feelings too, you know. You people take all of this for granted, don't you? House-elves deserve just as much, if not more respect than any random stranger!" she shrieked and sat down on a stool, her legs tightly crossed.

"I didn't mean it that way. It's just that I've never seen anyone have that effect on Abra before," I shrugged and she smiled, embarrassed.

The elves brought our dinner several minutes later, with Lia's tray filled with the oddest array of foods.

"What is that stuff?" I asked, my mouth full of apple tart.

"This is Biltong, which is basically salty dried meat made of either beef, ostrich or antelope meat. Those are Koeksisters, deep fried, heavily sweetened dough. And, if I'm not mistaken, that's Tamatiebredie, a tomato and lamb stew. I'm supposing that you know what tea is," she said, smirking at my wide eyes. That sounded like the oddest assortment of foods I had ever seen in my life.

"You can try some, if you like," she gestured to her platter and I grabbed a piece of Biltong and a Koeksister. The Biltong was very salty and chewy, but it tasted good, and the Koeksister tasted like very sweet honey.

After a while, our stomachs were full, and Lia waved happily, thanking Abra before climbing out of the portrait hole.

"Thanks, Aidan. For not making me feel like such a freak," she said as we walked back, her hands in the back pocket of her red and black tie-dye jeans. I could be myself around her, without worrying about criticism or anything. She may not be Cora, but she could become just as dear to me. Who knows, maybe Cora and I were just two people meant to hate each other. For now, Lia would do, and I would learn to love her. If just for Cora's sake.

"Lia, I know we just met and everything, but I was wondering if you'd like to Hogsmeade with me next weekend," I asked, leaning against the wall outside of the Common Room. She stared at me oddly, before smiling widely and raising an eyebrow.

"Are you asking me to be your girlfriend, Aidan Vestey?" she inquired, her hand over her heart.

"Well, yeah," I admitted and stuffed my hands back into my pockets.

"Good. Just making sure. And yes, I will go to Hogsmeade with you," she winked at me and entered the Common Room, where unfortunately Alec and Isabella were waiting for me.

"Hey, mate! Who's the broad?" he asked, a mischievous grin on his face. Isabella, on the other hand, looked at Lia furiously, but I noticed that Lia was staring right back coldly, not an inkling of fear in her eyes.

"Guys, this is Lia Munroe, a new student, and my new girlfriend. So be nice," I explained, pulling Lia close to me. She narrowed her eyes at Isabella, who seemed to be having a great internal conflict. Finally, she straightened up and said in a deep voice that sounded like a 40-year old man's, "Go away. I need to have a word with Aidan alone,"

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but your powers don't work on me. So YOU can go and try to manipulate someone else," Lia snapped and Isabella stared at her, shocked. Alec snickered and turned to me,

"Nice choice, mate! I'm Alec," he winked at Lia and held out his hand. She shook it before turning to Isabella expectantly. Isabella threw back her head and laughed loudly.

"That's definitely not happening," she sneered and turned on her heel to the dorms.

"What's up her ass?" Lia asked me and I snorted derisively.

"I don't know, really," I commented, as Alec turned to the dorms and walked into the room, leaving the door open, ever so slightly. I used my powers to shut it before turning to Lia, who was staring, smiling, into my eyes.

"Good night," she said, pulling me into a hug. I leaned down and placed a light kiss on her cheek. She stared at me radiantly and I whispered,

"That's how we say good night in Britain."

She pulled away and waved at me before gathering her sketchbook and entering the dorm, to face Isabella alone. But I wasn't worried. Lia could protect herself.

_Maybe I could fall for her. If I could convince myself to…_

**A/N So, how'd I do? Who was absolutely shocked by the arrival of Lia. Thank you to Skye for asking for a new character, otherwise this chapter would not have been possible. Oh, and Skye, please list some common South African dishes and stuff, Wikipedia only has some creepy-sounding insect stuff? Please review with opinions. It's absolutely necessary. Do you guys like Cora/Aidan or Lia/Aidan. Because I honestly didn't think I'd like the latter as much as I do…. Flames as well as hugs are welcome! Review away, or I'll set Fang on you!**

**Countdown to Deadline(D-Day!): 23 days!**


	18. Ravenclaw vs Gryffindor

**A/N: Sorry it took so long for me to post this one up. But Quidditch is VERY hard to describe, if you didn't invent the damn sport. Thank to Kariann-chan, the Elves, im-the-doctor and weirdgiraffe for reviewing. Further thanks go to Kariann-chan for an idea, and im-the-doctor for accepting the challenge, in written form. This chapter is more of a filler, but with quite the character developers. Weirdgiraffe and Kariann-chan, there is still time for the challenge! This chapter is for Morgane and Leanna.**

Alec's POV

I woke up early the next day, sneaking out of the dorm, so Aidan wouldn't wake up yet. The poor guy had been depressed for weeks before Lia came along. He acted normal again, but I had to make sure that he wouldn't relapse. And there is existed only one person who could help: Lia Munroe.

She was sitting by the fireplace, her hair spread out behind her as she slept softly, not making a sound.

_Isabella must've kicked her out._

"Lia?" I asked, and she stirred, raising her head slowly. She narrowed her drowsy eyes and got up, walking to me like a zombie.

"Alec? What the bloody hell, man! I was asleep," she exclaimed, rubbing an eye wearily.

"I know, and I'm kind of sorry about that. But I need to talk to you. About Aidan," I explained and her eyes flashed with understanding. She nodded and sat down on the overstuffed armchair, her legs crossed underneath her thin frame. I noticed that she was wearing an oversized t-shirt with the picture of a red heart and the band title, "Sixx:A.M," and a pair of green and black flannel pants. She tied her hair back messily before turning to me worriedly and asking,

"So, what's wrong?"

"You don't know Aidan that well, do you?" I decided to ask, before realizing that I had insulted her.

"I mean, I realize that you guys could be soulmates for all I know, it's just that he's been depressed for quite some time now," I explained and she smiled widely, flashing me a brilliant smile.

"Thanks for that, Alec. To tell you the truth, I really like Aidan, and I won't hurt him. But what made him so depressed?" she asked, her eyes opening wide in curiosity.

"It's not a what. It's a who. Cora Rattigan," I said slowly, and she pulled back, a slightly sad look on her face.

"Who is she?" she inquired, leaning back against the pillow.

"Cora was the first girl he really liked. Only problem was, she didn't like him back then. So he asked for Iz's help to dispose of her crush, a guy named Will. Isabella planned to know Will off his broom during practice, just landing him in the hospital for a couple days. But halfway through, Cora noticed what we were doing, and she tried to save him from falling, like a stupid Gryffindor. She didn't know what would happen," I explained and Lia leaned forward, a sympathetic look on her face. Her thin lips were pursed tightly and I noticed that she was also wearing a pair of silver fingerless gloves, made of wool.

"What happened?" she gasped, leaning forward, her hand over her mouth.

"Cora's a Newid. She had her Outburst, creating a huge forcefield around herself. The forcefield hit Will, too, knocking him into the stands. The force field slowed her down, but when she landed on the ground, she began twitching uncontrollably. Will got sent to St. Mungo's for two and a half weeks, and Cora spent two weeks in the hospital wing. Aidan felt horrible, and he'll never admit to it, but I saw him leave the Common Room every day at seven o'clock with a white flower in his hand. He visited her, every single day. Cora hated him for what he did, though, and I reckon she still does. But deep down, Merlin knows what's in the girl's head!" I exclaimed and stood up, pacing. Lia tapped at her eyes with her t-shirt before staring at me.

"But why are you telling me this? It wasn't I who asked Aidan out, he asked ME out," she gestured with her hands before staring at me angrily.

"I'm telling you, because you're not like other Slytherins. Because you understand what I mean when I say that I can't see my best mate get hurt like that anymore," I leaned against the wall, and stuffed my hands into the pockets of my trousers.

"I promise to you that I won't hurt him. I won't even let him be hurt by Cora," she swore, placing a hand over her heart. I smiled, and she grinned back, standing up to hug me.

"Good. But if you do, I swear on Merlin, I will stab you in the jugular with a freshly sliced orange peel!" I threatened, as she pulled away. Lia looked at my face for a second before bursting into light laughter, it echoing all over the Common Room. She shook her head and glanced at me, one foot on the stairs,

"Where in the name of Merlin's saggy left trouser did you get that line?" she exclaimed, before running up half the stairs and stopping to look back at me.

I saw why Aidan had fallen for her. She may be weird as all hell, but she was kind, funny and radiated a natural beauty. She was a worthy contender against Cora, in my opinion, but she had nothing on my Aves. Yet, again, I was a BIT prejudiced in that area.

"Friend of mine says that a lot," I yelled at her and she smirked.

"Then she's a bloody genius," she winked and ran into the dorm, shutting the door behind her.

_What in the name of…? How the hell did she know?_

Cora's POV

I was going to hurl. There just wasn't any doubt about it.

I staggered down the stairs and into the Common Room, the world spinning around me. And then I crashed into someone, knocking them to the ground.

"Ow," the person groaned, as I rolled off of them, my cheeks burning. He was lying on the ground, rubbing the back of his head slowly. His vivid orange hair covered his eyes, and his pale, oval face was covered in freckles. As he sat up, I noticed something quite odd about his eyes: his right eye was a deep sapphire blue, and his left a bright green, like a clover. He had long arms and legs, with long fingers and big feet, but he wasn't muscular whatsoever.

"Uhh, I'm sorry," I said, holding out my hand to help him up. He shook his head and rolled back onto his feet, before staggering into the couch painfully.

"Not your fault. I'm dead clumsy," he said in a deep voice, holding up a finger. Then he straightened up, and held out his hand, a goofy smile on his face.

"Ian Ravensdale. Clumsy clown extraordinaire," he introduced himself, bowing deep. I held out my hand and he raised it to his face, kissing it gently.

"Milady. What's your name?" he asked, his eyes twinkling.

"Cora. Cora Rattigan," I replied, pulling my hand away, and laughing.

"Nice to meet you. Why are you up so early?" he asked, falling back on the couch.

"Quidditch Game today. I can't sleep, and I think I'm gonna hurl," I blabbered, feeling the nausea return.

"You're a Quidditch player? What position?" he asked, leaning back.

"Beater," I nodded, and he nodded along, an impressed look on his face.

"Then I think I'll come, if only to see your pretty face whoop Ravenclaw's ass! Good luck," he winked, and got up dizzily, running up the stairs.

_Just what I needed. Another guy totally obsessed with me. UGH!_

The rest of the team came down about half an hour later, so we could get on the field early. Lexi was purposefully looking away from Jack, but he was biting his nails, looking as nervous as I felt. Adrian and Nick were joking around, tossing around a Fanged Frisbee, while Christine still looked half asleep. The new guy, whose name I had found out was Colin. We climbed out of the portrait hole and walked sleepily into the Great Hall, which was empty except for several members of the Ravenclaw Team, including Aves. I smiled at her before Jack shot me look simply saying, "You're not friends today! You're opponents!" Aves raised an eyebrow, and I glared at her before erupting into silent giggles at the look she gave me.

I collapsed at the table, watching in awe as everyone except for Jack and me began piling sausages, waffles, pancakes and bacon on their plates. Finally, there was only one sausage left on the platter, and Lex and Nick stabbed it at the same time.

"Drop the sausage and no one gets hurt," Lex hissed, showing her pointed canines. Nick stuck out his tongue, but gave her the sausage anyways. Lex smiled widely before glancing at my plate and wordlessly piling some meat and pancakes on.

"Shh, eat! You'll need the protein. Remember, you're dealing with a Bludger," she raised an eyebrow and I glared at her.

"I think I'm going to puke, Lex. Sausages and syrup won't help," I groaned, and clutched my stomach.

"Drink some water, and eat the toast plain. But you need the energy, Core," she said wisely, before grabbing my plate and exchanging it with Jack's empty one. Jack glanced up, and looked at Lexi gratefully, his mouth half open.

"Don't bother thanking me. We need our team captain to play. That's the only reason I gave you food," she grumbled, biting a piece of sausage vengefully.

"Mmmhmmm," I said sarcastically, and she punched me. I felt the vomit rise to my throat, and only managed to bend over the bench at the split second when I began puking my guts out. Once I was finished, Christine looked over at the guys, smirking, and said,

"Pay up, I told you so!"

They each pulled out a Galleon, Nick cleaning the vomit with his wand as I gargled with pumpkin juice. I was suddenly ravenous and began devouring everything in sight, not caring about my outrageous table manners.

"Time to go," Jack mumbled quietly, standing up like a zombie and walking out of the Hall.

I nudged Nick and whispered,

"What's up with him?" Nick snorted and whispered back, glancing at Lexi, who seemed to be trying to stuff as much bacon into her mouth as she possibly could.

"He's acting all depressed because he's convinced that if he will, Lexi will kiss him before the match. I told him it's hopeless, but the guys more stubborn than a blind hippogriff!" I snickered, and glanced at Lexi, who shot me a look and mumbled, through her full mouth,

"What! I'm hungry!"

In the locker room, we quickly slipped into our Red and Gold Quidditch robes, emblazoned with a roaring lion on the front and our names on the back. Then, Jack turned to us and took a deep breath,

"This is my first year as captain, so I don't have a classy speech. What I do have is a record. The Gryffindor team has not lost in 3 years, ever since I became Chaser. You could say I'm the team's lucky charm. But seriously, we've got a kick-ass team this year, and nothing can stop us from winning this game, unless we decide to not TRY. We have to fight for this game, because the only thing Ravenclaw has is strategy. And, thanks to Adrian and Cora, we got some bang-up strategy ourselves this year. We CAN do this! We WILL do this! Let's go and kick some ASS!" he yelled, and we all cheered like crazy. I watched in awe as he walked to Lexi and bowed.

"A kiss for good luck, milady?" he asked, raising his cheek in anticipation, his eyes closed.

Lexi winked at me, before moving Adrian in her place and having him plant a kiss on Jack's cheek.

Jack opened his eyes and stared at his kisser in horror, wiping his cheek with anything he could find.

"Yeah, that's never going to happen. But keep dreaming, it'll provide me with some entertainment," Lexi said arrogantly, before lining up next to Adrian, who was gagging.

Jack shot me a wink and lined up next to them. Nick and I lined up behind them, and Colin behind us, with Christine at the very end. She shot me a grin and a thumbs-up, and then I heard the announcer. I recognized the voice immediately: it was Bex, the really hyper girl from my Divination class who seemed to be the most unfocused person I had ever met. But she was really funny, and would no doubt make a VERY entertaining announcer.

"Welcome to the first Quidditch Game of the Season! Today, we have Gryffindor against Ravenclaw, muscle against mind! Which shall prevail, we shall see! For now, let me introduce the Gryffindor team! Gryffindors, let me hear you roar for your Chasers: Jack McGinn, Adrian Li and Alexandreiana Dracul!" Bex yelled dramatically, and our Chasers mounted their brooms and kicked off, flying out into the stadium. It looked absolutely packed.

I heard the crowd go wild and several wolf-whistles as the spectators saw Lexi.

"Now, Gryffindors, let me hear you bellow for your Beaters: Nick Rodriguez and Cora Rattigan!" I heard Bex yell, as I mounted my broom and kicked off, relishing in the cold wind against my face. Nick and I did a quick lap around the Field before stopping in mid-air under the Chasers, in front of our goalposts.

"And now, roar for your Keeper: Colin Slade!" Bex yelled loudly, and Colin flew out quickly, settling in front of the goals.

"Finally, give it up for your Seeker: Christine BAKER!" Bex exclaimed, raising a fist as the crowd chanted, "Ba-ker! Ba-ker!" Christine flew out and did a lap gracefully, looping around us before settling in mid-air, above us.

"Ravenclaws, are you going to take that kind of put down? No, you're not! Give a hoot for your Chasers: Annabel George, Chase Noorani and Bella Sciuto!" Bex yelled, gesturing to the Ravenclaw side. The guy, Chase, flew out first, his chocolate skin glinting in the cloudy light. Next, an Italian-looking girl with bright eyes and black-blue hair flew out, who could only be Bella, followed by a girl with ice-blonde hair and gray eyes, who could only be Annabel.

"Next, hoot for your Beaters: Skye Ororo and Scott Lightle!" Bex yelled, her hair flashing blue and silver like a neon sign. Skye flew out first, her electric blue hair creating a comet effect behind her. She stared at me daringly, as though warning me not to come close. Scott flew out next, his thin figure forming an arrow with his broom.

"Give it up for your Keeper and Captain, Leo DiLarocco!" Bex exclaimed, and he flew out, his spiky silver hair glinting blindingly in the light. I heard many Ravenclaw girls faint and sigh as they saw his handsome face.

"And finally, give it up for your numbah one! Your Seeker: Avery McGeeeeee!" Bex yelled, fist punching the air, as the crowd yelled, "Mc-Gee! Mc-Gee!" Aves flew out like a lightning bolt, and smiled wildly as her neon hair left a trail of blinding red light behind her.

"Okay, now, you know all the rules! Captains, fly forward and shake hands!" Prof. Batkai instructed, and Jack and Leo flew forward, gripping each other's hands tightly. Jack returned and I saw him mouth, "_Phoenix!"_ I grinned: that setup had been my personal idea. Nick and I nodded, as he flew off towards the top of the field, and I descended to the bottom. Basically, he would shoot me the Bludgers, and I would hit them to the bottom of the opposing side. It allowed for more reaction time by me, and much greater accuracy. Prof. Batkai whistled, and she threw up the Quaffle, releasing the Bludgers and the shiny Golden Snitch. Ravenclaw immediately began trying to fly towards us, with Chase leading the pack, the Quaffle in his arm. I sent a Bludger his way before focusing on the next, listening closely until I heard it fly past his head, causing the ball to drop right into Lexi's waiting hands. My eyes spotted Skye glaring at her, a Bludger coming her way. I spun my broom around, and leaned forward, flying swiftly to the nearest Bludger. My legs locked around my broom and I flipped over, hitting the Bludger upside down, towards to the Bludger that Skye had hit to Lexi. I floated in mid-air, my finger crossed, before seeing the impact of my Bludger rebounding off the other.

"An amazing block by Gryffindor's newest Beater: Cora Rattigan, blocking Skye Ororo's Bludger with one of her own, leaving Dracul to fly closer to the Ravenclaw goal!" BEx exclaimed, as the Gryffindors went insane. Skye glared at me, her eyes narrowed evilly. I flew away, focusing on disabling their Keeper, somehow. I shot a Bludger past his right shoulder, and he flew towards it, thinking it was a Quaffle, leaving Lexi to shoot it into the left hoop, which she did, hitting it with her broom.

"Score 10-0 for Gryffindor. Goal by Dracul, the fiery Romanian half-vampire! Give us a hiss, Gryffindors!" Bex shouted, and the Gryffindors hissed, just as Lexi did.

I cheered for Lexi and she shot me a smile before hurrying to get the ball out of Ravenclaw possession.

Nick shot a Bludger my way and I hit it violently towards Annabel, the Chaser with possession of the Quaffle. Unfortunately, I didn't aim as well as I thought I had, and it hit her broom, sending her spiraling towards the ground. I gasped and flew towards her, one hand on my broom, and the other, palms up, in front of me. Grudgingly, my mind emptied itself and I slowed her momentum, leaving her gently on the ground. She shot me a look as though I was insane before gasping, as I whirled around and saw the Bludger flying towards my leg. I felt the impact crush my calf bone and I felt my ears buzz with anger as I saw Skye smiling satisfied over me.

"A nasty foul by Skye Ororo leads to a penalty shot for Gryffindor, Adrian Li taking the shot," Bex announced, her hair turning a lavender-grey with worry. I shot her a nod and she grinned, her hair becoming yellow with happiness.

"It seems Rattigan is tougher than she looks. She's still playing, despite a broken leg!"

Adrian flew in front of the hoops before grinning to himself, as Jack flew underneath him and hovered, waiting. Adrian held the Quaffle, and threw it down to Jack, who flew directly up, spiraling, passing it to Adrian secretively, and glancing at me. I flew into the mix and shot another Bludger to the goals, in an attempt to confuse the Keeper, who didn't fall for it, and flew in the opposite direction instead. Adrian, however, threw the Quaffle into the hoop with the Bludger at the same second winning us another 10 points.

"Wow! A great Porskoff Play by the Gryffindor Chasers Li and McGinn, leading to another 10 points for Gryffindor…Is that the Snitch?" Bex exclaimed, pointing at something that Aves was chasing after, Christine at her heels. I stared at them in awe, as Aves leaned forward, nearly catching the Snitch, as Christine flew underneath her and caught the Snitch in her hand, looping back down to the ground. Christine held up the Snitch, yelling in joy as Bex called out the final score.

"Final Score is 170-10 for Gryffindor. Christine Baker catches the Snitch! Gryffindor wins!" she yelled, her hair turning red and gold. I screamed in joy, hitting my bat against Nick's.

Suddenly, I heard a Bludger whizz past my head and I whirled around to see it hit Lex on the small of her back. I gasped, looking pack in the direction from which it had been hit. Skye was glaring at me, an eyebrow raised as she descended from the sky, storming off the Field in anger. Lexi fell from her broom violently, and landed on the ground, her face contorted in pain, towards the sky. I saw Jack speed towards her side as the Gryffindors climbed down from the stands, forming a circle around the two. My broom floated over silently, and I climbed off, landing on my feet next to her body. Jack was trying desperately to shake her awake, muttering to her, as tears streamed down his cheeks, "No, Lexi, NO! Don't you dare!" I pushed him gently aside and cleared my mind of all distraction, ignoring the murmuring around me. I felt that her back was broken, as well as a severe concussion. My hands passed over her, and I felt the energy draining out of me and into her, healing and realigning her back. Someone must have seen my spinning head, because I felt someone prop me up, their small hands on my waist. I continued healing her concussion, and then she opened her eyes, blinking around her at the group gathered in a circle.

"What happened?" she asked, looking at me pleadingly.

"Skye shot a Bludger at you, and you fell off the broom. Are you still hurt?" I asked, feeling the energy return to me.

"Cora, come on. I'm never hurt. _I _don't get hurt," she leaned up, before falling right back down. I shot Jack a look and he winked before turning to Lexi and smiling gently.

"Don't worry, Lex. Beautiful girls get hurt too," he whispered and she smiled shyly, as he scooped her up into his arms and walking her off the pitch. I smiled to myself and stood up, turning around to see who my support was. The girl stood about a foot from me, her head slightly tilted as her extremely light green eyes scrutinized me closely.

"I'm Cora," I said, holding out my hand.

She bit her thin lip and held out her hand,

"I'm Lia. Aidan's girlfriend."

**A/N: Ooooooo, cliffhanger line! How'd I do? Please review, this stuff is my life force. The Yoda in your heads is telling you its right….. Flames as well as hugs are welcome, and I can't wait for the results of my dear challenge. Those of you who are total overachievers (me) and want to do multiple things, you may, and receive extra influence points for it. 1 influence point per entry, and the top 2 reviewers will get to weigh in on 2 important decisions. Virtual crêpes to everyone!**

**Days until deadline (D-Day): 22**


	19. Dream On, Love On and See On

**A/N: Sorry it took so long to update, but this is a really long chapter. But I love it, cause it has lots of everything. Fluff, friendship, drama, anger…you name it-I have it. Thanks to the Elves, im-the-doctor, weirdgiraffe and emcee81, our newest reviewer, for reviewing. You guys are amazing and a constant source of awesomeness juice! I can't take credit for Adele or Rosaline, so please don't kill me. Please read and review, this chapter is SOOO worth it! This chapter is for Morgane(YOU NOT LEAVING) and my mom- because she's always there when I need her to be. **

Cora's POV

I stood up, feeling my hands tremble furiously by my side.

"Could you repeat that please?" I asked the girl, my voice already cracking, just like my heart.

_How could I get my heart broken twice?_

"My name is Lia. I'm Aidan's girlfriend," she repeated, a sympathetic look on her face as the tears streamed down my face. Her hand reached out, and I flinched back, turning swiftly and running out of the Pitch at full speed, not bothering to look behind. I heard her follow me though, and I rounded on her, my hands raised like they were before I nearly killed Hagrid.

"I'm warning you, Lia! Last time I got really mad, I hurt someone about 5 times your size very badly! Back the hell off and go away! I'm sure Aidan's wondering where you are," I screamed, the last words catching in my throat. Her hair blew backwards in the wind but she strode forward determinedly, a hand stretched out cautiously in front of her. My eyes darkened and I began to see red in anger. I glanced down at my hands and noticed that they had formed semi-translucent, electric blue orbs that had thin lines of lightning orbiting rapidly around them.

Without thinking, I shot one of them at her head, but was shocked to see that it simply rebounded a good 5 feet away from her. Enraged, I began throwing more and more at her, as I stormed towards her, my tears blurring my vision. My knees buckled, and I collapsed on the mossy ground, the orbs dying away, but the electric current over my skin still running powerfully.

Lia kneeled in front of me and stared at my slumped, weeping figure silently, before hesitantly hugging me tightly. Despite the fact that I had tried to kill her several seconds before, I felt myself simply molding myself to her gentle grip, my tears rolling down her oversized, black raincoat.

After a while, I pulled away, wiping away my tears, and she sat across from me, waiting for me to say something, anything.

"How come I couldn't hurt you?" I asked, and she smiled, wiping her hands on the wet grass.

"I'm a Shielder. I block ALL powers, including your own. But that last bit of electricity did tickle a bit," she grinned and I snorted. I forced my eyes to dry and looked her in the eyes. She had to be the strangest looking girl I had ever met, Lexi would have a hissy fit if she saw her. Lia had bright eyes and radiant face, but blocked by a curtain of dark, brown hair. She had hidden her figure by wearing what looked like guys clothes: fairly loose jeans that fit her waist tightly and a long t-shirt. Basically, a more extreme version of me, but a prettier one, too.

"Why did you help me back there?" I asked, and she ran a hand through her hair nervously.

"Because Aidan loves you. And until he realizes that, you have to stay alive," Lia said knowingly, a sad smile creeping across her face.

"No, he doesn't. But thanks for saving my life on the field, okay? See you around," I grunted and got up, ignoring the spinning world around me. She stood up, and placed her tiny hand on my shoulder, turning me around.

"Listen, you seem like an amazing person, and in my personal opinion, Aidan was an idiot to go with me instead. But I have to thank you for giving me a chance, and I really hope we can be friends," she pleaded and I smiled widely.

"Of course. Hey, tell Alec I said hi, won't you?" I asked, and she nodded, her eyebrow slightly raised. I hugged her tightly before running into the castle and up the steps to the Gryffindor Corridor. No doubt Xander and Evan, the School's very own troublemaking twins, had sneaked enough food from the kitchens to throw a killer celebratory party. I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn't look up in time to avoid crashing into someone. A billowy, batlike someone.

"Ms. Rattigan, watch where you're going!" Severus yelled at me and I cringed. He was never this mad to me. Maybe he had gotten some bad news.

"Sev, you okay?" I asked, placing and hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it off sneered at me, glaring at me from the tip of his long, hooked nose.

"No, Cora, I am not okay, if you must know!" he exclaimed, a weird look in his eyes. _Malice?_

"Tell me what happened," I said, gesturing to the bench, as I sat down. He waved down my hand and paced in front of me, refusing to sit down. And then he stared at me, a half-smile on his face.

"Well, let's see here. I go to a Quidditch Game that does not even involve my own team, because MY star student happens to be playing. And what do I see? No, really, ANSWER ME!" he yelled pointing at me threateningly. I gulped and thought hard before raising my head calmly and saying,

"You saw my team win."

"EXACTLY! I saw your _teammates_ win! YOU DID NOTHING!" he sneered, placing a hand in front of me. The venom in his voice stabbed my heart and I looked at him, feeling the tears well up in my eyes, yet again.

"You are a disappointment. Not just to me, mind you, but to Dumbledore and Seth as well! We've talked, you know. Our CHOSEN One is a goddamn disappointment! You bring shame to your family and the whole Wizarding community! Did you think anyone would care? You'll wind up just like Seth, having killed your best friend and doomed those you love! You are nothing, just like a typical MUDBLOOD!" he spat, before walking away, his greasy hair swept behind me.

My heart sank as I realized the truth in his words. I was nothing, and if I died, right now, no one would ever notice. The only guys I had ever loved either were gay, or loved another soul. My fate was to be like Seth, a ghost walking the earth in my own disappointments over and over again. What had I gotten myself into? This ended tonight, I would never disappoint or hurt anyone again. I was going to leave.

Lexi's POV

My heart beat furiously as Jack swept me up in his arms and off the field. I felt everyone's eyes on my furiously blushing face, but I ignored them. I could go back to hating him tomorrow, but tonight he was MINE. Oddly enough, I didn't think I could hate him anymore.

"Penny for your thoughts, love," he said softly as he carried me into the Castle, which was thankfully empty.

"I was thinking about hating you," I answered and his eyes turned sad. He looked down at my face and I saw that he had a cut above his left eyebrow. I smiled and placed my finger on it, feeling myself wince as he winced. The heat built up in my finger until it formed a thin stream of fire into the wound, gently cauterizing the wound, and stopping the bleeding. He looked at me quizzically and ran his own finger over the now sealed wound, which formed a thin scar above his eyebrow.

"Why do you have to hate me?" he asked and I pouted, my face flushing nervously. This was a question I had feared for a while now. But no one could hear us now, right?

"Because I fell for you the second I saw you, the second I heard your voice. I have too much pride, I couldn't let myself fall that easily. Hating you was easier than ignoring you, so…" I stammered and he looked at me, a light smile on his face. I bit my lip, and turned away, cursing myself violently for it.

"We're here," Jack said, monotone, gesturing to the Portrait Hole. The Fat Lady was singing way off key in a frog like voice,

"_I can't keep up with your turning tables, _

_Under your thumb, I can't breathe, _

_So I won't let you close enough to hurt me, _

_No, I won't rescue you, you to just desert me, _

_I can't give you the heart you think you gave me, _

_It's time to say goodbye to turning tables, _

_To turning tables."_

"Excuse me!" I screamed, hearing my voice crack. Jack breathed deep as the Fat Lady turned to me, a pissed look on her face.

"What? Didn't you hear I was in the middle of rehearsal?" she asked, a pudgy hand on her hip, and the other holding a fan with which she was fanning herself dramatically.

"Rehearsal? Croakapella? The password is Troll Bogies, let us in," I said, and she raised a light eyebrow.

"What's the magic word?" she replied, her voice high and teasing.

"Sod off?" I asked sarcastically and she shook her head, batting her eyelashes at Jack.

"FINE! Please, let us in!" I yelled, and she smirked at me, satisfied. The portrait swung open, and Jack shifted me to his back, before climbing into the Common Room, and standing me up gently by the couch.

"It's been a long day, Lex. You did good, but it's late and you should go to bed," he mumbled monotonously, and turned around, walking to the stairs silently.

"Jack!" I exclaimed, and he turned to me silently, a depressed, yet mad look on his face.

"WHAT, LEXI? DON'T YOU THINK YOU'VE SCREWED WITH ME ENOUGH? YOU WANT TO HATE ME, YOU WANT TO SAVE YOUR PRIDE? _FINE, _GO RIGHT AHEAD, I DON'T CARE! GOOD—" he yelled, but was interrupted by my lips on his.

I kissed him softly at first, but he responded eagerly, and pulled me closer until my hands were resting on his chest. He kissed me passionately and deeply, his smooth lips moving with mine in perfect sync and his cologne clouding my oxygen. He pulled away after several seconds and smiled brilliantly, his grey eyes shining as he looked down at me.

"I love you," he whispered, leaning down so that his forehead rested on mine. I grinned widely and got on my tiptoes, to whisper in his ear.

"I love you, too." He exhaled gratefully and placed his lips gently against mine, much less needy than before. They moved gently, but the intensity increased after a while, and I threw myself into the kiss fully.

"Well, this is awkward," said a chuckling voice behind me, and we pulled away quickly to look at who had interrupted our kiss. I blushed deeply as I saw Xander, Jack's best friend, and his twin, Evan, standing in front of the rest of Gryffindor house, a wide grin on his face.

"No shit, Xander," Evan said, shooting a sympathetic smile at me. The girls all seemed to be glaring at me, holding broken objects or crumpled pieces of paper. I searched for Cora's face in the crowd, but she wasn't anywhere to be seen. I saw Christine, though, and she was smiling widely, her brown eyes smoldering as she spotted Jack's arms around my waist.

"You guys, the food's gonna get cold!" she yelled, turning to the crowd, the Snitch held high in her hand. Xander and Evan dropped about 10 pounds of food on the tables, as the House erupted in loud chatter, and chaos as the crowd fought over the food, Christine leading the pack.

I looked up at Jack, who sported a mischievous grin on his face. He looked quite satisfied with himself, and I punched him in the arm.

"What!" I exclaimed, and he glanced down at me, his nose crinkling adorably in laughter.

"You can't hate me anymore. Everyone knows," he said, smirking and I sighed dramatically.

"Oh, well. It was becoming boring anyway," I rolled my eyes and turned back around to face him fully.

"Where were we?" I asked and he smiled, before leaning down to kiss me again.

"Oi, mate! Give Lex some air, why don't you? Stop snogging in public!" Adrian exclaimed, hitting Jack's head with a roll.

"You're just jealous 'cause you can't get a girlfriend, Adrian!" I joked, kissing Jack on the cheek before diving for the food.

"Really, Lex? I beg to differ!" he screamed, pulling Christine into his arms and full-out snogging her, to everyone's surprise. They surfaced a while later, Christine's face flushed in shock, but looking ecstatic anyways. Adrian was grinning arrogantly, and she pulled out of his grip to join her friends on the couch.

"Oh, and by the way? Will you go out with me?" he called after her, and I laughed loudly, until pumpkin juice came out of my nose.

Suddenly, the Portrait Hole opened violently, and Cora ran in, crashing against Nick, who was in the center of the room.

"Give it up for the hero of the evening…MS. CORA RATTIGAN!" Nick yelled, as the entire team (except for Jack, whose hand was permanently resting on my waist), lifted her into the air. Cora tried to look happy, but I saw from the tear tracks on her face that she was really upset.

"LET ME DOWN!" she yelled, the tears spilling out of her eyes again. "WHY ARE YOU GUYS CHEERING ME ON? CHRISTINE WON THE GAME!" She fell to the ground, and wiped her eyes, before running up the stairs, slamming the dorm door behind her.

I looked up at Jack, and he nodded, reluctantly pulling his hand from my waist. Reaching up on my tiptoes, I placed a light kiss on his lips, and sauntered towards the stairs, where Will was leaning against the banister, his blonde hair covering his eyes. As soon as he saw me, he grinned widely and stepped up, leaning down to whisper in my ear.

"Stay down here, I'll talk to her. Go be Cinderella, tonight's your fairy-tale night," he whispered and I smiled kindly at him. He winked at me and gestured to a waiting Jack, before running up the stairs and into the girls' dormitory.

"What was that about?" Jack asked as I walked happily into his arms.

"Nothing. He just said that I'm yours, at least for tonight," I replied, biting into a sugar donut. The sugar rubbed off on my nose, and Jack wiped it away gently.

"What about for forever?" he asked, his eyes pleading.

"Forever is a long time," I replied, looking back at him. He smiled shyly and kissed my nose.

"Not with the one you love."

Lia's POV

I entered the Common Room, looking for Aidan desperately. Sure enough, he was sitting by the fireplace, playing chess with Alec, who was failing miserably.

"Aidan!" I yelled, and he shot up, smiling as he walked towards me. My eyes narrowed and I ran to him, delivering a hard slap to his face.

"Ouch! What in the bloody hell was that for?" he exclaimed, rubbing his face.

"THAT was for not telling me about Cora!" I yelled back before placing my hands around his neck and getting on my tiptoes, pressing my lips against his.

At first, his lips remained still, as though in momentary shock. Then they began to succumb, moving quickly in response to mine. His arms pulled me closer, and I felt my toes leave the ground for about a second, before he pulled away, grinning widely. His eyes twinkled merrily, as I unwove my fingers from his hair.

"And THAT was for asking me out instead!" I smiled and hugged him tightly. We walked over to the couch, and he pulled me close to him, giving me a quick peck on the lips. The quick peck, however, deepened quickly into a full-blown kiss, our lips moving in complete sync. This time, I pulled away, mostly due to Alec's incessant wolf-whistling and cat-calling. I shot him a knowing glare and he settled down, focusing back on the chessboard.

"So, how did you find out?" Aidan asked me, as we leaned back on the couch, his arm around my shoulders. I leaned against his shoulder and pulled my sketchpad towards me, doodling a dark, crying eye absentmindedly.

"I met her today, after the Quidditch Match. You should've come, Gryffindor was amazing," I recalled some of the best moments and smiled widely.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I thought you'd get mad, or even worse, hurt," he replied, placing a kiss on my head. Alec was looking at us enviously, before pulling out an iPod and blasting something that sounded like Rosaline's, "Culture Wars."

"Don't try to protect me. You'll always wind up hurting me more," I said and he smiled gratefully.

"THAT'S why I fell for you," he whispered before getting up and shaking Alec awake.

"Mate, I'm going to bed. You coming?" he asked and Alec nodded, gathering his things.

Aidan pulled me up and kissed me deeply, passionately, leaving me breathless and somewhat dizzy. He shot me a smile from the stairs and slipped into the dormitory, shutting the door behind him quietly.

I turned to Alec, and pinned him against the wall, my wand at his neck.

"Cora? Seriously, Alec? When were you planning on telling Aidan that you stole his girl? I thought you were better than that!" I whispered frantically, and his eyes widened in panic.

"Lia, chill out. There's nothing going on with me and Core. It's someone else," he raised his hands in terror and I pressed on.

"Yeah, right! Like I haven't heard that one before. Well, actually I haven't… but that's beside the point!" I exclaimed, frustrated.

"You hurt Aidan, and I will - how did you put it? - stab you in the temple with a freshly sliced grapefruit peel!" I shrieked, and stormed back into my dormitory closing the door behind me.

Thankfully, it was empty, so I simply collapsed on my bed and closed the curtains. And then, trembling, I closed my eyes.

In a flash, I felt my essence rush across space and time, until I stopped, roughly, landing in a pile of brown leaves. I got to my feet and shook the leaves out of my hair.

Everything around me seemed to be made of a dense fog, enough to form clear shapes, but not enough to prevent my passing through walls. The ground seemed to be solid, though, so I stepped forward and noticed the house in front of me.

It was made of stone, with vertical wooden lattices paneling the walls and windows. The entire house seemed to be held up by magic, as it was fairly crooked, and sloping downwards. Inside, I saw a twenty-something year old man with jet-black hair and round, crooked glasses creating colored bubbles for the young, chubby toddler in front of him. Leaning against the wall behind them, a beautiful, redheaded woman with startlingly green, almond-shaped eyes was trying hard not to laugh at her son's delighted face. I stepped forward to take a closer look, and was interrupted by a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. It felt as though a giant brick wall was walking straight through me.

Suddenly, I saw the source of the movement: a hooded, snakelike man was moving through me and blasting open the door. I rushed forward and heard the man inside scream something to the woman, who had taken the infant in her arms,

"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off -" he yelled, looking around for his wand, which lay on the couch. A flash of green light interrupted his words, and he fell to the ground, motionless. I screamed, but they heard nothing and I followed the hooded man up the stairs.

Once there, he blasts open the door to reveal the redhead standing protectively in front of the crib. The man laughed and pushed her aside, looking at the infant in pure and total hatred.

"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!" she pleaded, and he looked at her in disgust.

"Stand aside you silly girl … stand aside now." he said cruelly. She bore no wand so she had placed herself between the man and her child, who cried incessantly.

"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead - " she begged and he pushed her aside again, staring vindictively at the boy. I found myself wildly cursing in Afrikaans at this cruel man. The tears began coming down my face as I saw the child in his cot, crying his eyes out, and completely helpless against the snakeman.

"Not Harry! Please … have mercy … have mercy…" she screamed again, the love paining her voice.

He laughed shrilly and another flash of blinding green light lit up the scene, leaving her motionless under the ground.

The child quieted down as the man came towards him, his wand poised for attack. It seemed as though the child didn't know the man, for as soon as he saw his true face, he began bawling again. I couldn't blame him: the man bore no nostrils and had red slits instead of eyes. He looked like a snake, but much more terrifyingly so, for he was a man.

The man slashed the wand down with a final blinding green light, which blew up brightly, throwing me back and destroying the house. As I got up, I heard the baby crying in the crib and walked over to look at him. He seemed to be okay, except for a thin scar in the shape of a lightning bolt on his forehead.

Despite my obvious invisibility, he looked my way and cooed gently waving his hands in my direction. I smiled at him and sat down next to his cot.

"Why were you the boy who lived?" I asked him and the scene dissipated, leaving me in total darkness.

I sat up in my bed again, my body in a cold sweat and my hands trembling. Quickly, I gathered a sketchpad and began drawing every detail of what I had scene, posting the finished sketches along my wall and curtains. I would find out why that boy had lived and who he was, if it was the last thing I did.

_Why him? _

**A/N: Betya didn't see THAT one coming. It's okay neither did I. In fact, I have no idea why it happened! So, how'd I do? Please review, flames and virtual burgers and fries are welcome (yes I'm hungry don't judge). If you guys have any theories/suggestions on Lia's vision/teleportation/mysticalness moment, please tell me. It just seemed like a cool idea at the time, I hope it doesn't ruin the story…. Challengers are still accepted all the way up to the deadline, so please accept. Thanks a bunch I love you guys!**

**Days until D-Day:20 :P**


	20. Lycanthropy and Midnight Strolls

**A/N: Hey, guys! Hope you had a nice weekend, but I kind of have some bad news. I enjoyed writing the last POV so much, that I included another one in this chapter! And this time, you won't find out for another 2 days who it is! For my anonymous reviewer, I have a small clarification: JK Rowling is a witch/Seer in my story, and the entire Harry Potter series is just a documentation of her visions, which she sold to the Muggle public, leaving her shunned by society. Harry Potter himself doesn't exactly exist, per se, but keep reading, because it gets kind of interesting. Thanks to the Elves, my anonymous reviewer, weirdgiraffe and im-the-doctor for reviewing! Hope you guys love yourselves some Halloween, because I have a request: post your favorite costume/costume ideas on your review, and they may be used in the upcoming Halloween chapters. This chapter is for Charlie and Morgane who will not leave!**

Mystery POV

Late September. The first full moon since my arrival at Hogwarts. How bloody freakin' peachy.

No one knew of my condition, as I called it, not even the Headmaster himself. After all, my parents had abandoned me at the Orphanage as soon as they found out I had been bitten. I could remember that night as though it were yesterday:

_I was walking down the road in the middle of the night, after I had gone to my best friend's house. He did not know about me being a witch – even though I trusted him with all my heart. I knew he'd understand, but was there any point in pushing myself away from him even further. My mantra was to never trust anybody, and never take anything for granted. _

_That night was foggy and rainy, so I didn't hear the soft, padded footsteps until it was too late. He pinned me to the wall, his snout drooling hungrily as he sniffed me. I screamed, but there was no one to hear as he bit my shoulder. The pain was agonizing, and I felt the venom course through my veins. He howled in delight and pandered away, leaving me in the street, bleeding profusely. The next thing I remembered was knocking at my parents' door and fainting as soon as the door opened. My wounds healed, as all wounds do, but my parents did not realize about my full malady until next month. My first transformation. _

_As soon as I felt the light of the full moon on my eyes, it felt as though my very skin was ripping and tearing itself apart, whilst seeping acid into the cracks of my open flesh. My usually small nose lengthened into a slender snout and I felt myself burst out of my pajamas, sprouting dark fur. When I looked down, I realized that I was growing in height, and that my hands were transforming into delicately curled paws with thick claws. I smelled my parents in the other room, and I jumped out of the window, while my mind was still mine. _

_It was a horrible night, but I don't remember anything. All I know is that I woke up in the middle of the street, with the body of my dead best friend next to me. He must've tried to stop me, but how he knew that it had been me, I would never know. I tried to return home, to beg for forgiveness, but my parents simply shunned me to the nearest orphanage, several miles away. _

_My luck turned several weeks later, when I was finally adopted. He came in, and saw me sitting by the window, rubbing my scar absentmindedly. I saw him staring and stopped, looking down, hoping he'd simply go away. He didn't._

_Instead he walked over and pulled a blanket over my shoulders, sitting on the bench next to me. He introduced himself as Remus Wilcox, and began to talk with me about the usual: what I was like, and what I liked doing. Small things like that. _

_At one point, I noticed a wand sticking out of his jacket pocket and asked him about it. He smiled and raised his eyebrows, telling me we'd get to that later. Then he asked me how I would feel if he'd adopt me. I smiled for the first time in a long while, and nodded silently, seeing his eyes twinkle merrily in response. I left the Orphanage that day, and he took me to a fairly run-down house on the outskirts of Ottery St. Catchpole. "It's not much, but it's home," he told me that day, but it was perfect. We told each other everything: he was an Auror who worked at the Ministry, and had lost his first wife and child in an encounter with a Dark Wizard. He was the first person I told. The first person who knew. _

I am a werewolf. That was my secret, and I intended to keep it so. Remus (I called him that, because I just couldn't bear thinking of my father) brewed Wolfsbane Potion constantly, so that I could keep my senses during transformation. Still, now that I was at Hogwarts, it was a completely different story. Just by trying to prevent harm, I was breaking tons of rules.

The plan had been to keep to myself, to not make any friends. And then Cora had come along. She seemed understanding and so kind, she was the first person to befriend me despite my eccentric appearance. I made a mistake, but I wasn't going to hurt them.

I got up out of bed and dug in my trunk for the bottle, running out of the Common Room.

As I reached the statue of the Hippogriff on the 2nd floor, I pulled my wand out hurriedly and mumbled, "_Dissendium!" _Remus had told me of this secret passageway, which lead directly outside. The Hippogriff reared his head and lifted his wing, revealing a perfect passageway, which sloped downwards steeply. I stepped into it and lit my wand, walking hurriedly to the end.

Finally, I reached the end and pushed the door open, gulping the potion down, as I stepped out into the moonlight. The transformation began again, and my hunched back ripped my robes as I grew, painfully, into my werewolf-form. Whenever I had transformed at home, Remus had called me Serigala, the Malay word for wolf. I howled in pain, and ran into the forest, to hide until morning. There, people wouldn't be hurt. There, I was harmless.

Aves' POV

It had been weeks since my last visit with the Thestrals. I had promised Aethelraed that I would return, and help her with whatever seemed to be killing her herd. Tonight was October 13th, several weeks before Halloween.

I got up, making sure Bex wouldn't wake, her hair a pale grey as she slept. Pulling on my cloak and sneakers, I stuck my wand in my pocket and snuck out of the Common Room. The hallways were deserted, thankfully, so I quietly made my way over to the door, which was, of course, locked. Thankfully, Alec had showed me a secret exit by the Hippogriff statue on the 2nd floor, so I made my way out that way. It was a clear night, the moon a thin crescent in the sky. The grass crunched under my feet, each blade crusted with a light layer of ice. Winter was coming, I could feel it in my bones.

I stepped into the clearing, and Aethelraed was watching over her sleeping herd with her mate, Kenewrec. She spotted me and bowed deeply, Kenewrec copying her movements entirely.

"Hello, Aethelraed, Kenewrec. Sorry it took me so long to come," I said, bowing in return, my hair covering my face.

"_Mistress need not be sorry. We are glad that you have come," _Kenewrec reassured me in his deep, velvety voice.

"Thank you, Kenewrec. Shall we proceed?" I asked, lighting my wand.

"_Mistress, I shall take you as far as I can. The creature hides deep in the forest, and it is protected by a force field that only allows humans and the creature itself to pass. It will be dangerous, Mistress. If you wish to turn back at any time, simply shout my name and I will come. The laws of Magic allow me to come to my Mistress' aid whenever she bespeaks it," _Aethelraed warned me, but I shook my head.

"That is quite kind of you, Aethelraed, but you guys helped me when I was in need. I owe you a great debt, and I am here to repay it," I stated firmly, and Kenewrec whinnied in appreciation. Aethelraed's eyes smiled at me, and she kneeled, allowing me to climb on her skeletal back.

"_Mistress, you may want to hold on," _Aethelraed chuckled and I wrapped my arms around her neck just in time for her to begin galloping swiftly north, deeper and deeper into the forest. I kept my head down, feeling the braches hit my face, leaving thin scratches.

Finally, she slowed, and I slid off her back, tripping over my own feet. Her wing wrapped around my back, steadying me and I smiled as soon as the world stopped spinning.

"_Mistress, you're hurt!" _Aethelraed exclaimed, neighing at the scratches on my face.

"Oh, it's nothing. The scratches will heal, don't worry," I assured her and she shook her head fiercely, stepping towards me. She whinnied softly, and licked my face softly, her silky tongue sliding over my open wounds.

"_This is an ancient secret, one we Thestrals have kept secret for generations. Our saliva has healing properties, just like phoenix tears. They shall keep you safe, so that you will not get hurt. Please do not tell anyone, Mistress. You are our protector,"_ Aethelraed whispered, as I felt the wounds seal and my face dry.

"Thank you, I shall tell no one. Wish me luck," I smiled nervously, and Aethelraed bowed deeply, kneeling on a patch of moss by a tree. I stepped forward, and felt myself pass through some sort of magical membrane. It acted like a one-way glass, I could see Aethelraed, but she couldn't see me. And then I saw it.

It stood about 15 feet tall, with inky black scales and intelligent purple eyes. Her neck was long, and bore long, curved spikes beginning at the top of her head. The wings were folded by her side, a rich navy color. Her tail curved around, forming an arrow-like spike at the end. She spotted me and bowed her head, dark grey smoke coming out of her nostrils. It was a dragon, the most beautiful I had ever seen in my life.

"Please don't kill me," I mumbled, raising my hands in surrender.

"_So you are the so-called Mistress. I have heard of you," _the dragon spoke arrogantly, laying her head on the ground.

"Then you are not allowed to attack me. I am your Mistress!" I exclaimed, putting as much authority into my voice as I could. The dragon raised her head and blew an angry plume of electric blue fire to the sky.

"_Ignorant child! I am mastered by no one!" _the dragon yelled, her eyes flashing with anger.

"I apologize for offending you," I said quietly, bowing down.

"But I have come on behalf of the Thestrals tonight. You have been killing members of the herd, and I shall reveal your location to my Headmaster if you do not stop," I threatened and she shook her head.

"_That is an empty threat, child, and we both know it. You cannot tell your Headmaster about me without first admitting that you have been into the Forbidden Forest. If my memory serves me correctly, the Forest is off-limits to students," _the dragon said wisely, and I swore internally.

"What can I do for you to stop killing the Thestrals?" I asked her and she blinked slowly, thinking about her answer.

"_I will need another source of food, so you would have to provide me with that. But since Thestral meat is so tasty, I have a further request. You must visit me every 2 days. It gets lonely out here, and I'm sure you have your own share of rumours to tell," _she said, smiling evilly.

"Fine. You have a deal. What's your name?" I asked and she recoiled slightly, her tail moving around nervously.

"_My name is my soul. I cannot tell you my name, otherwise you will have full control over me,"_ she whispered softly and I nodded.

"Okay. Then I shall call you Ariana, until you tell me your true namesake," I smiled and she smiled back, blowing some light steam out of her nostrils.

"_What is yours?" _Ariana asked and I grinned.

"It's Aves," I replied, and she chuckled.

"_That is not a name. That is a nickname. I repeat, what is your name?" _she asked and I raised an eyebrow.

"Avery," I replied and she nodded, her purple eyes studying me intelligently.

"_Avery. Your name means elf counsel,"_ Ariana said, tilting her head.

"Really? Well, I do have to go. Remember your promise, Ariana," I warned and she nodded softly, her tail flicking lazily.

"_And you remember yours," _Ariana said, as I turned on my heel and exited the clearing. Aethelraed was standing, her eyes darting in worry.

"_Mistress, you have returned! What is the creature?" _Aethelraed asked, beating her wide wings in excitement.

"It is a dragon. But I have made a deal with her. Your herd shall remain safe, if I return every 2 days to visit," I replied and she whinnied gratefully.

"_Mistress, I cannot thank you enough! Our herd is forever in your debt," _she bowed, and I climbed on her back.

"For now, you can just bring me home. I have a huge Arithmancy test tomorrow," I stated sleepily and she darted off again, the wind blowing back my hair. Kenewrec was waiting for us and he rushed over to Aethelraed, licking her check nervously.

"_Aethelraed, are we safe?"_ he asked and she nodded, flicking her tail happily.

"Good night, you guys," I said, patting their heads gently and leaving the clearing and entering the castle again.

_There is a dragon in the Forest, and I'm her only friend. Can my life get any weirder?_

**A/N: How'd I do? Any guesses as to our mystery girl/guy? And Remus Wilcox is NOT Remus Lupin, just a very very similar character, because Remus is sooo unbearably awesome and sweet. He's my 2****nd**** fave marauder after Sirius(but he's a bad parent-just look how Harry turned out! ;P) What about the dragon, Ariana? Wish me luck on my French and English exams-I'm freaking out! Please review, flames and virtual homemade French fries are welcome! Hugs to all of you guys for being so awesomely awesome! Sorry this chapter was so short, but the next one will be longer, I promise! Get reviewing, or I'll set Ariana on y'all!**

**Days until D-day: 17!:P:P:P:P**


	21. An Announcement of Great Proportions

**A/N: Hey, y'all! Sorry it took so long to update- I had chores. Today's chapter is the calm before the storm, a filler. Sorry, but it is funny and sweet, kind of like a beaver on a pogo stick. I have officially received my first submission to the challenge, from a new reviewer named clairwe. You can all view it at:** **.com/art/Lia-213143439. It's a picture of Lia, right after her vision scene, and I have to say, she's really set the bar. Your picture doesn't have to be that good, so I'll accept anything above stick figures. Thanks to the Elves, clairwe and anonymous reviewer for reviewing. I loves u guys! This chapter is for Caroline and Morgane, who will be remaining here forever!**

Cora's POV

I woke up the next morning, exhausted. The past several weeks had been grueling, from seeing Lia in the hallways, to the fact that Sev insisted he had no recollection of his outbreak, to the 3-hour long practices Jack had set up for every 2 days. I couldn't wait for winter break, and seeing my mom again. And then the letter came.

_Dear Core,_

_I'm sorry sweetheart, but I still haven't found us a place to stay. Personally, I think it's best if you just stay at Hogwarts until I'm sure he's stopped looking. I keep thinking he's following me, but I must be just paranoid, right? Sweetie, I know you wanted to see me, and trust me so do I, following this Newid business, but I can't put you in harms way. Stay at Hogwarts, and please be safe._

_Love,_

_Mum_

I had crumpled up the letter and set it on fire in my hand, scalding my skin red. Naturally, it had healed almost instantly, but it had hurt.

I got out of bed, and instantly noticed that Lexi's bed was empty. Sleepily, I pulled another paper off the wall, seeing today's date: October 14th. Slipping into my robes, I walked downstairs and noticed that there was a new notice on the bulletin board:

_**Gryffindor v. Hufflepuff this Saturday! Practice is at 5 am. tomorrow!**_

I sighed deeply and walked over to the fireplace, wanting to practice a new technique I had learned about from the library: forcefields that suck out the oxygen. As I turned to sit on the couch, I noticed that two people were already sitting on it, sleeping soundly. Jack was sitting up, his head drooping on his shoulder as he snored, ever so softly. Lexi, on the other hand, was leaning against his chest, her hair tied into a messy plait and snoring like a lumberjack. How he didn't wake up, I had no idea. They were holding hands and etched on their faces were light traces of smiles that had remained there from the night before.

I smiled sadly and climbed out of the portrait hole, deciding to go to breakfast early. For some reason, I was extraordinarily hungry today. The hall was empty except for several Ravenclaws studying and a person at the Slytherin table. She turned around and waved at me happily as my stomach received another blow: it was Lia.

"Hey, Cora!" she exclaimed, waving me over. I smiled widely and sat down on the bench, watching her as she attempted to stuff a huge sketchpad into her tiny bag. A paper fell out, and I bent down to pick it up, glancing at the drawing.

The first thing I noticed was that it was a drawing of a little infant, wrapped in blankets. He was asleep, his eyes closed peacefully and his mouth pouting ever so slightly. Then, I noticed the most obvious part. A lightning-shaped scar above his right eye. I gasped and she yanked the picture from my hand, stuffing it hurriedly into her sketchpad.

"Please don't tell anyone," she begged, her lime eyes wide with worry.

"Tell anyone what? The fact that you're a Harry Potter fan?" I asked her and she raised a thin eyebrow.

"Whatever do you mean?" she inquired and I gestured to her sketchpad.

"Come on, Lia. Don't play dumb with me. You drew Harry," I explained and she tilted her head, standing up slowly. She grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the Great Hall, and into an empty classroom.

"How did you know that boys name?" Lia asked me and I laughed derisively.

"That's a joke right?" I laughed and she shook her head, pulling out several pictures from her sketchpad. I walked over and saw the one of Harry sleeping, as well as one depicting Lily and James' deaths, the house in Godric's Hollow, Voldemort smiling cruelly and many others, each showing the scene of that infamous All Hallow's Eve. Each was drawn so realistically I could almost see the scene in front of my eyes. I turned to her and noticed that she was shaking slightly, as she ran her fingers over the picture of Lily's dead body.

"Lia, have you heard of Harry Potter?" I asked her, my voice serious. She turned to me and shook her head, her small nose twitching.

"What are these pictures of?" I inquired and a tear ran down her cheek.

"That's my point, I don't know! I was trying to sleep the other day, but instead of the world going black when I closed my eyes, I saw all of this! I have no idea what I saw, but I know what happened. I just don't know WHY!" she exclaimed, tearing at her hair. I nodded and moved a chair under hair, upon which she collapsed, pulling her knees up to her arms.

"Lia, you drew the murder of James and Lily Potter by Voldemort," I explained and she looked at me quizzically.

"You mean these people actually were killed by that THING?" she yelled, burying her face in her hair.

"Not really. They're fictional characters from a book called Harry Potter. What I don't understand is how you could've seen them if you've never heard of the series," I mused and she stared at me, her eyes desperate.

"Look, I'll try to help. In the meantime, just keep sketching your visions. It may help me find the answer," I told her and she jumped up, hugging me tightly.

"Thank you, Cora! You're the nicest person I've ever met!" she yelled, and I hugged her back. For the first time, it didn't hurt. She was my friend now.

We returned to a packed Great Hall and she waved at me before running over to Aidan and hugging him from behind. Unfortunately, I didn't look away fast enough to miss him turning around to give her a deep kiss. I sighed, as my breath disappeared again, but he was rightfully hers. There was nothing I could do.

I sat down next to Amber, who smiled at me tiredly, and I noticed the dark circles under her eyes. But exams were coming up, and I couldn't blame her for not being able to sleep in a room with Lumberjack Lexi.

"Hey Core," Will winked at me and I stuck my tongue out. Lexi rolled her eyes and stole a piece of bacon from Jack's plate.

"Hey! Lex, come on, don't you have enough meat? You eat like a freaking werewolf at full moon!" he exclaimed and I saw Amber wince, ever so slightly.

"No, Jack, if you haven't noticed, I am half-vampire. I only eat meat. Be nice to your girlfriend," she said, sticking her bottom lip out in a perfect puppy face. He groaned, ever so slightly, before pressing his lips against her and pulling her closer to him in a passionate kiss.

"Oi! Could you stop with the kissing, please?" Evan yelled, flinging a roll at Jack's face, and missing, hitting me instead.

"Hey!" I yelled, smiling widely. I loved the twins, they were awesome.

"Sorry, Core! I was aiming for the prettiest! Apparently, the roll went with my opinion, not with others!" he apologized, looking at me sweetly, his hazel eyes softening as he glanced at my red cheeks. I looked down and felt Will's knowing eyes on my face.

"Interesting," he mumbled, pouring copious amounts of maple syrup on his French toast.

"Shut it," I mumbled back, and he chuckled softly.

"Feisty, aren't we?" he asked and my eyes went dark, causing his goblet to begin boiling, the pumpkin juice spilling all over his white jeans.

"Shit, Core! These are WHITE!" he exclaimed, standing up to see the damage.

"Relax, Will. _Scourgify!"_ I waved my wand lazily at his jeans, and the pumpkin spots disappeared, except for a tiny one above his knee. He'd have to live with that one.

I glanced at Evan, who was talking animatedly with his brother, no doubt planning the next big prank. His hair was short, but messy and a deep jet-black. Between the two twins, he was the handsomer one, his skin slightly darker than Xander's and his nose slightly longer. I realized that he had always been very kind to me, though I thought it was just because he was nice. But, that wasn't his reason. He must genuinely like me, for I had finally learned how to control my emotion-influencing aura.

"Attention, please! Quiet down!" Prof. Andersonn yelled, as the Great Hal turned to face the front of the room. She nodded to Dumbledore and he stood up gracefully, walking to the owl-engraved podium at the front of the room. I glanced at Aves, who shrugged before nudging a doodling Bex and gesturing to Dumbledore.

"I have an announcement to make. By popular vote from all the Head Boys and Girls, Hogwarts will be throwing a Halloween Costume Ball this year. Now, the Ball will be held on Halloween Night, in the Great Hall, from 8pm to midnight. We have booked the Weird Sisters for some live entertainment, as well as a volunteer to handle the rest of the music. The teachers have agreed to give you the week off, to ensure that you all don't have to get an Awakening Draught from Madam Pomfrey. All students must arrive in some sort of costume in order to be admitted, and the best costumes shall be judged by our staff!" he announced, to wild murmurs from the students. Lexi was barely able to stay in her seat out of excitement: she would now get a chance to dress us up again.

Prof. Andersonn leaned over and whispered something into his ear. Dumbledore nodded and cleared his throat.

"On a more serious note, all costumes must be appropriate. If they are not, then you shall receive detention with your Head of House, so please be responsible. Enjoy the rest of your Monday!" he sat back down, and Lexi leaned over to me, whispering in my ear.

"So, what's your costume?" she asked, as Will leaned in to listen.

"I don't know. It's not like anyone will ask me, so I think I'm just going for unrecognizable," I sighed and Lexi placed her hand on mine, enveloping it completely.

"Cheer up, Cora! This is supposed to be fun!" she exclaimed and I hugged her tightly, a wide smile suddenly on my face.

We got up from the table, exiting the classroom to go to Potions when Jack caught up, and kissed Lexi goodbye on the cheek before running off towards Transfiguration. She blushed slightly, and Amber and I rolled our eyes. Of course Lexi already had a date.

The day went by slowly, with Lexi spending the entire classtime sketching her costume on a spare piece of parchment. When I entered the Common Room, I was greeted by Will, Ian, Aves, Amber, Lexi, Jack and the twins, who were discussing the Ball fervently, exchanging ideas.

"Hey," I sighed, sitting cross-legged on the carpet. Will smiled at me and handed me a paper, the title of which said, "**Cora's Costume**" in loopy, wide lettering, that could only be Lexi's. It seemed to consist of a white, floor length dress stitched with green to look like a gaelic dress. There would be a long, green cape and my hair would have to be curled precisely. I smiled to myself: I was Cassandra. Lexi had made me Cassandra.

"Thanks, Lex. It's perfect!" I exclaimed and she shot me a beaming look.

"Does anyone want any foor, I'm gonna head to the kitchens. I've had a sudden craving for gummy bears," I commented and Lexi grimaced. Everyone shook their heads, so I stood up to exit the Common Room.

"Wait, I'll come with!" I heard Evan say, and I turned around to see him be pushed off from the ground by his twin and walk over leisurely, opening the portrait hole.

"Ladies first," he gestured and I climbed out, glancing over my shoulder. Will was giving me a very strange look, and I didn't like it. Not one bit.

Evan climbed out after me and walked over, his hands in his pockets. He was taller than Jack, only by about an inch though, so my head reached his chest.

"So, that was a really good game last week. Why were you so sad afterwards?" he asked and I frowned.

"A friend of mine called me a disappointment, insignificant, and a Mudblood. It really screwed me up. But I'm too sensitive for my own good" I said simply, deciding not to bring Aidan up.

"Who? I'll kick his ass!" Evan placed his hand on my shoulder and I smiled.

"Thanks, but I don't really think Snape would appreciate it," I said and he grimaced.

"Greasy Snapey? You're friends with him?" he exclaimed and I laughed at his expression.

"Yes, I used to be," I replied, nodding softly. He pulled me into a hug and looked down into my eyes.

"You're not insignificant, Core, do you hear me? And you're anything but a disappointment," he said kindly, and I smiled. We continued walking and entered the kitchens where we were accosted by elves.

"Master Griffiths, Mistress Rattigan!" they exclaimed, crowding around us. Abra stepped forward and bowed.

"What can we get you tonight?" she asked politely and I smiled at her.

"Do you have any gummy bears and crêpes?" I asked nervously and she grinned, snapping her fingers as a bag full of gummy bears and a platter of jam-filled crêpes flew over, landing in my arms.

"Thank you, Abra," I said, and focused in on the food, having it float in front of me.

"And you, Master Griffiths?" she asked and he pursed his lips in thought.

"Do you happen to have any Sour Cream and Onion Pringles?" he asked, his voice hopeful and Abra nodded, as one of the elves handed him an extra large container.

"Thanks," he said and we climbed out, my food floating in front of me.

Evan stared at my floating food in envy and shook his head.

"Man, I wish I could do that," he groaned and I shook my head feverishly.

"No, you don't. Being a Newid is a gift, but it's also a big curse," I said and he looked at me quizzically.

"Can you do anything?" I asked and he shrugged.

"A bit. Watch," he said and I looked at him. But instead of seeing him, I saw the image of me playing Quidditch against Ravenclaw. My curls were blown back but I looked exhilarated and happy, as I hit the Bludger towards the opponent. Suddenly, the image disappeared and I saw Evan again, his face sheepish.

"I'm a Revealer. I can place images in your mind," he said and I gasped in awe.

"That's awesome!" I exclaimed and he grinned.

"Yeah, it's the secret of our trade, so don't tell," he warned me and I nodded seriously, as we approached the portrait hole.

"Hey, I wanted to ask you something," he pulled me aside and looked at his shoes before meeting my eyes.

"Wudgobalme?" he asked quickly and I narrowed my eyes in confusion.

"I beg you pardon?" I asked and he took a deep breath before repeating his question.

"Would you go to the ball with me?" he asked, wincing at my response. I smiled widely as I saw his handsome face. He was perfect.

"Yes. Of course, yes!" I exclaimed, hugging him tightly. He lifted me off my feet and gestured to the portrait hole.

And I was happy for the first time in weeks.

Aves' POV

"There is no way in hell that I am wearing that!" I yelled at Lexi, Xander holding me back. I was going to kill that half-vampire!

"Come on, Aves, you'll look great!" she argued, her hair smoldering slightly.

"No, I won't! I'll look like a fairy prostitute!" I pointed at the costume, which consisted of a tight pink bodice and orange tutu, along with tight fishnets, knee-high elf boots and white wings. My dinner nearly came up when I saw that thing: it was HORRIFYING!

"Not to mention the fact I'd look like a sherbet!" I retorted and she groaned, exasperated.

"Is there any way in which I could convince you to wear this costume?" she asked, and I whined, swearing as Xander let go.

"Maybe if you made the dress green and black, with army boots, fingerless silk gloves and a longer, tattered skirt. I could accept a gothic fairy costume, but NOOOO!" I yelled, running towards her again. This time, I was impacted by an invisible barrier.

"Cora! Let me go!" I screamed and she walked up beside me, Evan at her side, looking happier than ever.

"No, Aves. What's this about?" she asked Lex and I lost it.

"LEX WANTS ME TO DRESS LIKE A SHERBET FAIR PROSTITUTE!" I shrieked, giving Cora my puppy face. It was irresistible.

"God, Lex, seriously. At least make that costume gothic," Cora shook her head as she stared at the paper.

"FINE!" Lex grumbled, disgruntled. Jack patted her back and she pecked him on the cheek.

"Oi, Evan? What's with the smirk?" Xander asked, glancing at his brother in worry.

"Oh, I've acquired a date. Unlike you, my brother," he bragged, glancing at Cora happily. She winked at me, and I hugged her happily. Cora deserved someone as nice as he was. Aidan was such an ass to her.

"No fair! I'm telling Mum!" Xander retorted and we laughed at his face.

"I should be done with the costumes in time, but I need to start now. Good night, you guys!" Lexi waved, before kissing Jack and running up the stairs, the designs in her hand.

"I should get going too. Bye, guys!" I waved and climbed out of the portrait hole. I could only hope to get asked. But there was a nagging thought in my mind, poking happily at my insecurities and doubts. I'd see tomorrow, though. When I saw Alec.

**A/N: How'd I do? How did you guys like Evan? I need you opinions on him, honestly. And the costumes? Sherbet Fairy Prostitute :P. I can't wait to see the rest of the challenge results. Here are the current standings, in terms of submission points(1 point per submission):**

**Clairwe: 1 pt**

**AverytheElf: 0pt**

**SkyeElf:0 pt**

**Im-the-doctor: 0pt**

**Weirdgiraffe: 0pt**

**Anonymous (yes, you can participate!): 0pt**

**Please review. Flames and hugs are welcome. Final chance for costume ideas, I'd like some guy ideas as well! Virtual panda hugs to the world!**

**Days until D-Day: 4squared, or 16 (yes, I am that big of a nerd)**


	22. Costumes of Epic Magnitude

**A/N: Hey guys! Yay for summer and no more exams. I will try to update daily, but between trying to find a job/volunteer work, it may not happen. However, I will try my darnedest to perhaps finish the story? * ****looks away in anticipation of a reaction * In any case, this is, unfortunately, another filler. I found that I couldn't stuff the day of the Ball all into one chapter, sorry. Big events must be left as cliffhangers… Thanks to the Elves, clairwe, and weirdgiraffe for reviewing. I'm really counting on you guys, 'cause I'm alone this summer except for Leanna (yayz). And thank you to AverytheElf for submitting 2 drawings to the challenge! We'll see how the standings react to that. Hug to weirdgiraffe for accepting! For more news on challenge, read chapter for A/N at end. This chapter is for Morgane(WEEP) and Leanna (this summer: you and me!)**

Aidan's POV

It was the day before the Ball. And I still hadn't asked Lia. Shit.

Alec shook me awake violently, causing me to roll out onto the floor and hit my head against the wall.

"What the bloody hell, man! Can't you wake me up normally for once?" I swore, and he shrugged his shoulders. He had dark circles, and his green eyes were exhausted. Nervously, he sat back down on his bed, fiddling with the spiky ring on his middle finger.

"Sorry, I have a lot on my mind," he mumbled, groaning as he collapsed back on the bed.

"Such as what?" I asked him, pulling on my jeans and black t-shirt.

"The Ball. And a date," he replied, burying his head in his hands.

"Why don't you ask Aves?" I inquired, and he chuckled darkly, his shaggy mane of hair shaking with his breath.

"My brain melts every time I see her. It sucks, so bad!" he exclaimed and I patted him on the back.

"You can always go alone. Just say you're a loner," I shrugged and he shot me a grateful smile.

"What about you? You going to ask Lia?" he asked, as we walked down the stairs slowly.

"I want to, but…ugh! Why does life have to be so complicated at 13? This isn't supposed to happen to me yet!" I groaned and Alec patted me on the back.

"Dude, life is screwed up no matter what age you are. Some people are just luckier than others and don't have this shit to deal with. At least you're not Cora, being dumped with the weight of the world at her age," he said wisely, looking off into space absentmindedly. I winced at the sound of Cora's name, but not as much as I used to. Lia had become my rock in the storm.

"Mornin' boys! Has Satan's daughter not awoken yet?" Lia greeted us, and I saw that her face bore a huge pencil smudge, as though she had fallen asleep on a drawing. Her hands were shaking and she looked tired, but extremely hyper.

Alec laughed at his sister's nickname and hugged Lia tightly.

"Naw, and I hope she doesn't. All I hear from her since the Ball announcement is a constant list of all the guys that have supposedly asked her to go. She's making her decision tonight, I can't wait!" he said sarcastically and I laughed, with Lia giggling softly by my side.

"Ugh, speak of the devil and she shall appear!" she groaned, gesturing to the stairs on the opposite side of the room. Isabella was descending the stairs, her tall figure draped in a pair of tight jeans and a silver tank top, with cutouts covered by lace. Lia shook her head in disgust, looking at her own outfit. Thankfully, she was dressed much simpler: in a pair of loose, paint-stained jeans and a plaid shirt that brought out her eyes. Despite the fact that she wasn't trying, she looked then times prettier than Isabella ever would. Jordan followed her close behind, as always, her hair pulled up into a high ponytail. She dressed darker than Isabella, but wore much more makeup. I hated it when girls did that. It made them look like Barbie dolls. And Barbie dolls were the plague of the world.

"Hey, Iz," Alec said softly, lowering his head as she walked by.

"Alec. Can we talk?" she asked him, her voice dangerous. He nodded and she pulled him slightly away, but not far enough to stop me from hearing.

"What is it Iz?" he asked her, his voice inferior and shameful.

"Jordan told me about Aves. Explain," she said, her voice slipping into the young voice she had used to trick him into being the bonder of our curse. I felt my blood go cold: the voice was unnatural, but honey-sweet.

"I don't care that she's half-elf," Alec said dazedly, and Isabella looked at him as though he was muck.

"You bring shame to our family name by fraternizing with half-breeds," she scolded and he nodded mutely, his eyes blank.

"Yes, Suze," he said dazedly and she nodded arrogantly.

"Good. You will not go with her to the Ball. Instead you go with someone of your own stature. Jordan," Isabella ordered and he nodded in understanding. She smiled, satisfied, and turned back to us, weaving her arm through Jordan's and exiting the Common Room.

"Hey, mate. You okay?" I asked Alec, as he stumbled towards us dizzily. He stared at me as though he'd never met me before and nodded shakily, his head shaking slightly.

"Huh? Yeah, bye," he said, walking away. He walked straight into a wall, before falling down on the couch. We heard him snoring several seconds later.

"That was…odd," Lia commented, tilting her head and pursing her lips in confusion. She looked adorable when she did that, and I took her hand to walk out of the Common Room.

"Wait, are you sure we should leave him here? I mean, look at the guy!" she exclaimed, gesturing to him. He had begun drooling lightly against the couch and I shook my head.

"He sleeps like that. And I've seen that thing happen before, he'll bounce back," I shrugged and she looked at me, appalled.

"Aidan, how can you stand by and let Satan's Daughter treat your best friend like that?" she asked, pulling away, and placing her tiny hands on her hips.

"They're brother and sister, Lia. It's not like it's any of my business," I said, and she stared at me blankly, shaking her head.

"Geez, who ARE you?" she exclaimed, waving her hands to the sky, and pushing me aside, striding out of the Common Room.

"Seriously, Lia? When did you become a Gryffindor?" I yelled after her and she rounded on me.

"Have you ever thought that maybe, just maybe, being a Gryffindor wouldn't be so _fokkende_ horrible? Everyone HATES us!" she screamed, a tiny tear forming at the corner of her eye. I had never seen her cry; this was completely alien to me. She was the strong one, the one who never cried.

I stepped forward and tried to hug her, but she pushed me away, shaking her head.

"I have feelings, too, Aidan. Think about that," she whispered, and climbed out of the portrait hole. I stood there, silent, for a long while. I couldn't decipher the meaning of her words. And then I realized what she had meant.

I ran out of the Common Room, and into the corridor. Although I had no idea where she could be, my gut led me downstairs and to the kitchens. I tickled the pear, upon which it giggled and jumped aside, allowing me to open the portrait. Sure enough, there she was, eating a platter full of food. Right now, she was biting into a fairly large burger, alternating from that and a large plate of fish and chips. Her head turned in my direction as she heard someone enter, and I saw her eyes darken, ever so slightly. She swallowed and stood up, gesturing towards the portrait.

"Get out! I'd rather be left alone, if you don't mind," she said, returning to her food. Instead, I sat down across from her, grabbing several French fries. She reached over and slapped my hand, but I saw the slight smile on her face. We sat there, in silence, for a while, before she cleared her throat, and looked at me sheepishly.

"Sorry you had to see me like this. I pig out when I'm upset," she mumbled and I laughed at her embarrassment.

"You're apologizing? Seriously? That's the coolest thing I've ever seen a girl do," I smiled and she chuckled into her hand.

"No, but I'm truly sorry for being such an asshole. Will you forgive me?" I asked her and she became serious, biting her lip in anxiety.

"Honestly? I still don't understand why you push away every single emotion," she leaned back, throwing a grape into the air and catching it in her mouth.

"Emotions complicate things," I answered simply, and she raised a thin eyebrow.

"Life isn't supposed to be easy, Aidan. You're complicating your own life by trying to make it easy," Lia said softly, shaking her head, so that her hair covered her eyes.

"You're right about that. So I'm going to stop," I said and she smiled widely, standing up to leave.

"And I'm sorry for hurting you, Lia. I never meant to," I stared at her, and she nodded softly.

"I forgive you. So, I guess I'll see you later?" she asked, stuffing her hands into her pockets and frowning slightly. I stood up and opened the portrait hole, allowing her to climb out first.

"Not quite yet, I think. See, I still need to ask you something," I told her and her face blushed a soft pink. I led her to a window and she climbed onto the frame, not afraid of falling out and onto the sharp rocks below. Without a doubt, she was the coolest girl I had ever met, so why was I still having doubts?

"Will you go to the Ball with me?" I asked her, breathing out deeply. Her face lit up and she turned towards me, placing her thin arms around my neck. She smelled faintly of paint, but also of something natural, like lemongrass.

"Why not?" she answered, but I saw the happiness in her eyes. I pulled her off the ledge and placed a quick kiss on her thin lips, before she pulled away, her eyes wide with worry.

"Shit! I forgot! We don't celebrate Halloween in South Africa! I don't have a costume!" she exclaimed and I shrugged.

"Who cares? I'm not going all-out, either. Just dress in whatever you have," I said and she smiled gratefully.

"I'm gonna go see what I have. See you later?" she asked and I nodded, watching her sprint towards the Common Room.

_I wonder if Cora's got a date…NO, Aidan! Stop thinking about her!_

Cora's POV

This was it. The day of the dance. And I was freaking out, big time.

Lexi had finished the costumes yesterday, but she only remembered today that we should probably check if they fit us. So she crowded us all around the fire in the Common Room, with Will taking charge of the guys and Lex taking charge of the girls.

"Cora! You're first!" she yelled from the dorm and I groaned. The plan was to fit the costumes and apply makeup and everything, so that we wouldn't have to repeat the entire procedure a second time. It was 5, and I'd have to stay in costume for the next three hours. Evan patted me on the back, and I slipped out from under his arm, ascending the stairs grudgingly. Lex was in the room, straightening the costumes out on her bed and her face lit up once I entered.

I glanced at the bed and gasped as I recognized my costume. Lex really had put a lot of effort into making it perfect. The neckline only came mid-chest, and I thanked her silently for that. Upon the bodice, she had embroidered an elegant medieval-gaelic pattern in gold, and the dress itself was of pale ivory silk. The cape looked to be made of emerald velvet, which matched the green silk sash on my waist. It was beautiful and I ran over to hug her.

"Thank you so much!" I gasped and she shook her head at my exuberance.

"Yeah, I know. Come on, we don't have much time," she said strictly, shaking her head at her own stupidity.

She helped me into the dress and I noticed that it was a bit big in several areas. Lex placed me in front of the mirror and began muttering fitting spells, until the dress fit me properly. I couldn't believe how much like Cassandra I looked. It was ridiculous. She then helped me out of the dress and handed me a bottle. I took it and read the label, "Groweezy's Hair Potion: Guaranteed to make your hair half a foot longer in one wash!" Lex looked at me with wide eyes and I rolled mine.

"You better know how to cut hair!" I told her and she squealed, hugging me tightly. She handed me a towel, and I trudged over to the bathroom.

Once I finished with my shower, I stepped out and noticed that she had finished fitting my dress to a perfect length. She slipped me into my costume and began obsessing over my hair, making sure everything was perfect.

Using copious amount of product, she made sure every curl was perfect and left my face without makeup. Thankfully, my costume didn't require any. Before I left, she placed the cloak on my shoulders and tied the sash around my waist.

"You look great, Core," she commented softly, placing a finger on her cheek. I snorted and she rolled her eyes, opening the door and yelling for Aves to come up.

Taking a deep breath, I started walking down the stairs, trying to walk in the outrageous Romanesque sandals Lex had placed me in. Once I arrived in the Common Room, I heard gasps from everyone, not just our group. Apparently Will had already finished the guys' costumes, and was busy doing his own. Evan rushed over to me and smiled happily, his eyes twinkling.

"Wow," he said simply, offering me his hand, which I took and sat down on the couch, nestling myself next to him. Aves smiled sadly at me, before skipping half-heartedly to the dorm. I felt everyone's eyes on me, and I glanced down.

"What's wrong, Core?" Evan asked me, and I shook my head.

"Everyone's staring," I replied, and he chuckled lightly.

"Don't worry. It's because I'm so unbelievably hot," he joked and I laughed, feeling the awkwardness disappear.

Looking up, I noticed what the guys' costumes were. Jack decided to go for Zorro, dressing up all in black, with a mask and plastic rapier, which looked extremely realistic. His hat bore a huge, fluffy grey feather that moved violently whenever he shifted. Ian, who had a very esoteric taste in movies, dressed up as the Mad Hatter, from my favorite movie: Alice in Wonderland. His bright orange hair stuck out of the insane top hat and his jacket was a deep burgundy. Amazingly enough, he looked EXACTLY like the hatter from the movie. Xander, on the other hand, had gone for the laughs with his costume: a giant banana. Evan was dressed in deep blue robes with silver trim and his hair was a silvery white and shoulder-length. Judging from his pointy wizard hat, he was dressed as Merlin, the greatest sorcerer of all time. It must've taken Lex and Will hours to come up with that: Cassandra and Merlin, the greatest male and female sorcerers of all time, going to the Ball together. Haha.

Aves walked down several minutes later, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Lex had turned the costume gothic, but she wouldn't let Aves get away with everything. The dress was turquoise and black, with a tight bodice and tattered skirt. She was forced to wear ripped fishnet tights and military boots up to her knee. Her gloves were fingerless, but they reached her elbows. Her hair was black with turquoise highlights and styled into messy spikes around her face. I wouldn't tell this to her face, but she looked awesome.

Once he saw her, Xander opened his mouth and she put up her hand in front of his face.

"Don't even THINK about it," she threatened and he shrugged, as she collapsed next to me. I noticed her black lipstick and smoky eyes: Lexi had gone all-out.

"So, Aves. When's Alec picking you up?" I asked and she shot me a look. Her eyes were sad and she shook her head.

"He isn't. I don't have a date," she stated simply and I gasped in anger.

"That bastard! How dare he lead you on like that?" I yelled, and Evan looked at me as though I had gone insane.

"Please, don't go there," she begged and I nodded. I spotted Xander staring at her strangely and Evan placed his hand over my lips.

"Don't say anything. He'll chicken out," he whispered in my ear and I nodded gently.

"Yo, Aves? Do you wanna, like, hang at the Ball with me?" Xander asked, an awkward smile on his lips. Aves stared at him as though he were an alien and shrugged, her face remaining impassive.

"I guess that wouldn't be the worst idea in the world," she said, and Xander nodded, his face kind of let down.

"Cool."

I glanced at Evan and smiled, placing a light kiss on the top of my head.

Amber and Lexi came down from the dorm next, Amber dressed as Wednesday Addams and Lexi dressed as a Vampire, naturally. Amber, who usually tried to blend in, looked quite pretty, her electric eyes popping out from all the black. Ian had asked her several days earlier, and she had only accepted today, after much pressure from yours truly. He smiled as he saw her, bowing once she had reached him.

Jack's jaw dropped as he saw Lexi, as well as the jaw of about every other guy in the room, excluding Evan. She had decided to against the urban myth that vampires only wore dresses. She had dressed tight black pants and moderately high-heeled leather boots. In addition, she was wearing a tight bodice and a velvet jacket, embroidered with gold. Jack walked up to her and she smiled radiantly, her eyes rimmed with red eyeliner. He took her hand and checked the time. It was now seven-thirty.

Will came down several minutes later, his costume absolutely impeccable. He had dressed as Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Every single detail looked like the movie: right down to the Razor.

Together, we gathered our things and headed down to the Ball, ignoring the many stares of everyone around us. We passed by a window and I glanced out quickly.

It was a clear night, a gorgeous full moon creating the ominous feeling of anticipation in my stomach, as though something would go terribly, terribly wrong.

**A/N: HA! How'd you like that for a cliffhanger? I know, you guys hate me for it… but come on! Please review, that stuff is like writer's crack! And sorry for the spelling mistakes last time (aka Sherbet FAIRY Prostitute, not FAIR). I wasn't paying attention. Flames and summer hugs are welcome (yes I am this happy all the time, mostly). As to the challenge, I have decided to lengthen the deadline, to make room for all the new challengers and people with no Internet. New deadline is July 5****th****, hope it works. Naturally, I will still accept things after the deadline, but they will not count towards the points. All links for the drawings are on my profile, as well as several others. Here are the current standings:**

**1****st****: AverytheElf: 2pts (drawings of Aves, Aves/Alec)**

**2****nd****: clairwe: 1pt (drawing of Lia)**

**Tied for third:**

**Anonymous, im-the-doctor, SkyeElf, weirdgiraffe, Kariann-chan, Dr. Rae, emcee31**

**Well done guys, check the profile for the links!**

**Days until D-Day: 19 (with extension)**


	23. Phenomenons under a Full Moon

**A/N: Hey, you guys! This took a while I know, but I have a feeling you'll like it. A lot happens, so read slowly and carefully. Halloween tends to bring out the best and worst in people, and this chapter shows that. For those who pay attention to the challenge(that better be all of y'all), we have a new entry by SkyeElf. It's a prologue on Lia, so you guys should read it because it's, dare I say it, fucking amazing! Crap in a bucket, I told myself I wouldn't swear! Also, I've decided, that since it takes a LOT to write a story on a fictional character you don't know much about, each person who writes one shall receive 1.5 points. Don't yell at me, but if you read it, you'll understand. Anyways, thanks to the Elves, weirdgiraffe and LuminescentQueen(anonymous person) for reviewing. I wonder where im-the-doctor has gone-:'(. This chapter is for Emily, Skye and Morgane (even though I'm still mad at you). **

Lia's POV

_Fok, I look like an idiot!_

Of course South Africa just HAD to not celebrate Halloween. Like there's something WRONG with dressing up! But I didn't care: I loved South Africa, even if it left me helpless in this situation.

In a normal situation, I would have gone to my best friend and begged for help. However, it really didn't help if your best friend used to be in love with your boyfriend. Lucky me.

Finally, however, I found several spells in the library that I could use to transform my clothes into something workable. I may wind up setting the Common Room on fire, but that's why it was under the Lake, right? Great, I was _gefok!_

I remembered an old comic book that a friend of mine, Zach, used to be obsessed with in South Africa. If I remembered correctly, it was called, "The Avengers," and for some godforsaken reason, he always compared me to the shifty Black Widow. At first, I was wildly offended: the bitch looked like a know-it all slut who was constantly the villain. However, as he continued explaining (while being cornered against the wall by my fist), she defected from her country, giving up everything, for a guy. She was the wronged character, even though she was portrayed as the manipulator. The Black Widow was the greatest of them, despite everything. I guess he had been trying to tell me something, like I'd ever listen to him, though. God, I missed him. I felt so guilty for using Aidan as a distraction from Zach, but I had a feeling he was using me too.

My costume was a wildly toned-down version of the original. I'd kept the all-black theme, as well as (somewhat reluctantly) the tight black pants. To add a bit of humor, I had painted the word, "Costume," on one of my tightest shirts, which I had shrunk further, so it lay tight against my stomach. Unfortunately, I didn't own the critical item: a leather jacket.

Jordan was sitting on her bed, fussing with the skirt of her costume. Admittedly, it didn't look that bad. She had settled on going as a Zombie Bride, with black dress ripped in multiple paces to reveal the grey layers underneath. Her makeup was much darker than usual and she had even dyed her hair jet-black. She must really like Alec. Too bad he liked Cora, the ass!

"Hey, Jordan?" I asked her nervously. We'd never exactly spoken before, due to my rivalry with Satan's Daughter, but we didn't hate each other. I hope.

"Yeah?" she asked me, an eyebrow raised. She looked at me as though I was a stranger, but I practically was.

"Could you help me with my costume?" I inquired and she stood up hesitantly, her hands crossed.

"I thought you hated me," she replied simply and I shifted around.

"I don't particularly like your taste in friends, but I don't hate you," I answered and she chuckled to herself, as though I had brought up an old inside joke.

"Well, the feeling's mutual. What do you want?" she asked, and I realized this was as friendly as she ever got.

"I don't suppose you own a very tight leather jacket, do you?" I said quickly and her face lit up.

"Duh, I do! Leather jackets make the world go round!" she pulled several out of her trunk and laid them on her bed.

"Pick any one, and I'll fit it for you. What's you costume?" she asked, as I looked at each one carefully, finally choosing a simple black one that looked to be tight enough for the costume.

"I'm the Black Widow," I answered, showing her a picture from a comic book that Zach had given me.

"No way! Don't tell Iz, but I actually like comic books," she whispered and I gasped sarcastically. She punched me in the arm, but shook her head as she looked at the costume on my bed.

"Let me tamper with your costume a bit," she pleaded and I gestured for her to go ahead. After all, what could she do?

A lot, apparently. A shitload!

The costume now looked as though it was made of leather and the shirt had shrunk even further, so that if I put it on, the hem wouldn't exactly reach my waist. She had shrunk the leather jacket to fit me tightly, but to feel as comfortable as cotton.

"Thanks," I mumbled and she shot me a small smile.

"You ready, Jordan?" Isabella said, coming out of the bathroom, all costumed and made up. I threw up a little in my mouth: she looked BEYOND fake, and way too disgustingly pretty. She was dressed like a Greek goddess, with an extremely low-cut dress and tons of bronze makeup. I even spotted Jordan looking at her somewhat apprehensively, before nodding and waving at me surreptitiously. They left the dorm, leaving me to get ready, all alone.

I slipped into the costume, surprised at how comfortable it was. Finally, I let my hair down, and watched as my dark curtain of hair fell to my shoulders, standing out against the shiny black leather of the jacket. And then I turned to the box on my bed and groaned. I LOATHED makeup. But some touches were needed to emphasize the shifty character, so I sat in front of the mirror and raised the eyeliner pencil to my eye. _Shit, I've never done this before! _I steadied my hand and applied the black line under and over my eye. My eyes darkened, and I stopped, satisfied with the results. Quickly arranging my jacket, I exited the dorm, to meet Aidan in the Common Room.

He was waiting for me, leaning casually against the wall, Alec by his side. I smiled to myself as I saw his costume: he had dressed like a ninja, all in black and with a mask that covered the top of his face. Alec, on the other hand, was dressed as the Angel of Death, wearing a pair of dark and tattered wings and white makeup to make him paler. He was standing next to Jordan, his face sad, as though he was thinking of someone else. Cora, no doubt.

"Well, I can't say I expected this," Aidan said, as he walked over to me. I raised an eyebrow, and crossed my arms in mock anger.

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" I asked him, and his eyes crinkled as he grinned.

"I thought you'd simply go for the Insane Artist costume, you know, as yourself," he smiled, and I punched him in the arm, hard. He winced, and rubbed the spot where my fist had met his arm.

"One man's insanity is another man's genius; someday the world will recognize the genius in my insanity," I answered sagely, and he laughed, shaking his head.

"Let's get going, shall we?" he offered his hand and I took it, staring at his eyes. He reminded me so much of _him_, he must've come out of my own personal hell to ruin me!

_Why couldn't I stop thinking of Zach? __Zach Huber is net jou blerrie vriend!__**(A/N: Translation: Zack Huber is just a bloody friend) **__Right?_

Cora's POV

We entered the Great Hall at about 8.15, and gasped at how they had decorated it. The ceiling was dark and starry, with Jack O' Lanterns containing candles creating an ominous light around the vast Hall. The walls were covered with thick spider webs and bats were flying around the floating pumpkins. It was magnificent, but eerie, as well. Who could create Halloween better, than those who caused the holiday?

Jack pulled Lex onto the dance floor, and whirled her in a circle, before holding her close, as a new, slower song began.

"_Little supernovas in my head _

_Little soft pulses in my dead _

_Little souvenirs and secrets shared _

_Little off guard and unprepared _

_I was never good enough to find _

_I was never bad enough to mind _

_In the middle I will do my best _

_Take me in your arms and leave the rest _

_I will give you anything to _

_Say you want to stay, you want me to _

_Say you'll never die, you'll always haunt me _

_I want to know I belong to you _

_Say you'll haunt me."_

The Weird Sister sang, on a small stage that had been placed in the center of the floor. Evan smiled at me tentatively, and tucked a lock of his hair behind his ear.

"Do you want to dance?" he asked me, gesturing to the floor. I nodded softly, and took his hand, with which he led me to the floor, and we began to dance. He placed his hands on my waist, and I placed mine on his shoulders. We danced awkwardly for a while, before I let myself move in his grip, along to the music. He was a pretty good dancer.

Over his shoulder, I could spot Aves and Xander simply standing at the refreshment table, Aves looking at the Doritos with tears rolling down her face. Amber and Ian looked blissfully happy, as did Jack and Lex, but they were already the perfect couple. And then, the Slytherin Pack entered, causing my ears to go red in anger.

Aidan was with Lia, naturally, and she looked bloody beautiful. She was wearing a tight all-black costume, which emphasized her perfect figure. I couldn't look like that, no matter what I did. But that wasn't what angered me. It was Alec.

Alec was walking arm-in-arm with Jordan, the bitch who had called Lex a gypsy at Honeydukes. She was just as bad as Isabella, if not worse, all things considering. My eyes narrowed, and I pulled away from Evan.

"Hey, can we get something to eat?" I asked him and he nodded, a smile on his face. The guy had a bottomless stomach. We walked off the dance floor and I couldn't help but see Aidan's eyes on me as I passed him by. Lia seemed not to notice, and waved at me cheerily. I smiled at her, and glared at the rest of them, the traitors.

Aves was standing in front of the table, her fists clenched tightly, and I placed my hand on her shoulder.

"That's not a fight you want to get into," I warned her, and she stared at me angrily, the tips of her elf ears glowing red. I smiled, and grabbed a handful of gummy Hippogriffs, eating them, one by one. Xander was sulking in a corner, staring at Aves as though he had suddenly realized his mistake. Evan nodded to me in understanding, and I smiled sympathetically. I hadn't wanted tonight to be this way.

"You okay?" I asked her and she glared at me.

"What the hell do you think, Cora? Use that big head of yours, why don't you!" she exclaimed, storming onto the dance floor. I ran after her, trying desperately not to trip over my skirt. She ran straight to Alec and Jordan, who were dancing closely, their arms intertwined.

"Hey, asshole!" she yelled at him, and he turned to her, slightly confused, as though he were confunded.

Jordan stared at her degradingly, but Aves pushed her aside. She looked him straight into the eye, but he seemed blind, as though she weren't there.

"Why?" she asked, her voice cracking with pain. He looked at her blankly and opened his mouth mutely, saying nothing.

"I have no idea what you mean," he said dazedly, and I saw her eyes close painfully. When she opened them, I saw that her eyes were black with anger. Suddenly, she raised her hand and slapped him across the face so hard, her hand left an imprint against his white makeup. For good measure, she kicked him in the shin as well, before storming away, and into the far corner of the Hall, where everything was covered by curtains. The Hall was in silence for quite some time, before the music started up again, and everyone went back to dancing.

I shook my head at Alec in disgust, and turned on my heel towards the table. Evan placed his arm around my shoulder and I smiled at him gratefully. He could always make me feel better, though not about the most important thing. In that aspect, he was a huge reminder of my denial.

I pulled him onto the dance floor to dance, hoping it'd clear my head. The Weird Sisters had just finished a fairly heavy song and were beginning a new, slow song. I spotted Jack pulling Lex closer to him, and placing his arms around her. She smiled at him radiantly, and placed her head against his chest, as they rocked in a circle, not paying attention to anyone around them. I grinned at Evan, and he pulled me close, his face more serious than usual. His strong arms held me close and he looked down at me, his eyes wide.

"_I will wait dear _

_A patience of eternity, my crush._

_A universal still, no rust._

_No dust will ever grow on this frame,_

_One million years, I will say your name._

_I love you more than I can ever scream."_

I glanced at Evan, who was staring at me absentmindedly, a faint smile on his lips. Then, his hand cupped my face, raising it slowly to his. His hazel eyes softened and I closed the gap between us, pressing my lips gently to his. He responded wholeheartedly, his lips gently moving against mine. I felt my heart speed up and the butterflies in my stomach twinkle happily in response. When we finally pulled apart, I saw him smiling at me radiantly, and I returned the smile happily.

At that moment, I felt happy, with no regrets, with no thoughts towards HIM. And nothing could go wrong.

Suddenly, the music stopped, and Dumbledore stepped up to the podium.

"Good evening, students. I hope you're all enjoying yourselves?" he inquired and we yelled in response, our blood coursing through our veins quicker than it ever had before.

"The night winding down, I'm afraid. However, I have a special surprise. Tonight is a beautiful full moon, and I have convinced Prof. Taylor to charm the clouds away, letting the moon shine in its beauty! If you would do the honors," he said, gesturing to Prof. Taylor, our Astronomy teacher. She nodded her head, and stepped forward, murmuring spells at the sky. I heard a gasp behind me and spotted someone with 2 long braids in a black costume, trying to fight their way out of the Great Hall. And then, the moon broke through.

As soon as the moon shone through the clouds, I heard an agonizing wail come from the girl who was trying to escape. She stood stiff, as I saw her body shake violently in agony. Dumbledore yelled for everyone to leave, and Evan grabbed my hand, pulling me out of the Hall. Quickly, I made sure that everyone I knew had left, but then I remembered: Aves. She wouldn't have heard anything, but she was still here.

The teachers were guiding us out swiftly, but I shook Evan loose, and ran back inside, not knowing what I was going to face.

The Great Hall was empty, except for the two people in the center. I ran forward, my wand raised. The person was unrecognizable, their face growing into a long, black snout. They howled loudly, as their hunched back split open the costume, leaving it in rags on the floor. Their arms lengthened, the hands becoming long, curled paws. Finally the transformation completed, and they stretched their arms back, howling loudly. Aves stood, unmoving, her eyes wide at the sight of the creature. I dove in front of her, and the creature reared its head towards me.

It was at least 2 heads taller than me, even though its back hunched forward ominously. Its fur was jet-black, with odd blue streaks here and there. My heart froze as I realized what creature we were staring at: a Werewolf. Aves stepped forward tentatively, whispering to the creature, her hands outstretched.

"We're not going to hurt you, don't worry," she whispered and the werewolf whimpered, raising its eyes. Suddenly, it ran forward and threw itself at Aves, its claws latching onto her shoulders. She screamed, and I saw the Werewolf lick its lips in anticipation of its meal. Instinctively, I raised my hands, as I had with Hagrid, and pushed the Werewolf away from her. It flew back, landing against the stage, and I ran forward. Aves was shaking violently, and her wounds were deep, gushing a ton of blood. I pulled off my cloak and covered her, hoping that the bleeding would stop. My healing wasn't advanced enough to fix this, I had to get her out.

Without warning, I heard a vicious growl behind me, and I turned in time to see the Werewolf bolt towards us, its eyes crazed. Standing up, I cleared my head and raised my hands, imagining a shield around the creature. It kept running, but hit a barrier about a foot away from us, flying backwards. My hand raised and I felt myself control its movement, as though it were attached to me. I forced it to the ground, several feet from Aves, who was whimpering worse.

Stepping forward, I noticed that the creature was whimpering, scratching itself, and leaving deep gashes in its flesh. It looked at me and I was startled by its all-too-familiar eyes. They were electric blue, the same color as the tufts on its fur. I only knew one person with those eyes: Amber. Amber was a werewolf.

I felt my shield falter, and raised my other hand. Levitating her into the air, I ran over to Aves, who was unconscious, her eyes rolled back into her head.

"Come on, Aves. Please, don't do this to me!" I yelled, feeling her pulse weaken. I couldn't leave Amber here alone, but Aves needed help. She needed it fast, or she would slip away. Black spots appeared in front of my eyes, as I tried to heal her as well. I wasn't strong enough.

The door to the Hall opened, and I saw a tall, dark figure run inside and pick Aves up, bridal style, his eyes glinting green in the moonlight. It was Alec. Before running out, he shot me a worried look, but I nodded, and he ran out as fast as his legs could carry him.

I turned to Amber and breathed deep, concentrating on her. Closing my eyes, I focused my mind on one thing: changing her back. I felt the energy radiate from my hands and opened my eyes, to find that my hand was shooting a beam of blue light straight into Amber. Her eyes shone brightly, and rays of blue radiated from her fingers. She howled in pain, but I saw her fur shoot back into her skin, and her figure shrink back into her human height. Her eyes became focused and alert, as her mind became hers again. My head began spinning, as I felt the energy being drained out of my body. Amber fell to the floor, unconscious, but human. I stepped forward shakily, before collapsing next to her, senseless. And then I saw no more.

**A/N: How many of you knew? As soon as I said werewolf, who knew it was Amber? If you did, then VERY WELL DONE! Gosh, this chapter was so hard for me to write, I was so indecisive on everything! Oh and I forgot. I can't take credit for Zach (check SkyeElf's story, and you shall understand!) or the amazing songs of Black Veil Brides and Stone Sour(Say You'll Haunt Me and The Mortician's Daughter-check it out!). Please review, and tell me how you liked the chapter. I have a feeling I totally bombed it. And to those of you who are new, please vote on my poll! Flames and virtual hugs are welcome, so what's stopping you? Here are the current standings:**

**1****st****: AverytheElf: 2pts (drawings of Aves, Alec)**

**2****nd****: SkyeElf: 1.5 pts (prologue of Lia, freaking amazing, you guys must read!)**

**3****rd****: clairwe: 1pt (drawing of Lia)**

**Tied for 4****th****:**

**im-the-doctor, Kariann-Chan, weirdgiraffe, LuminescentQueen, emcee31, **

**Well done, I am proud of my loyal followers!**

**Days until D-Day: 6x3, or 2x9 aka 18**


	24. The Hospital Wing

**A/N: Hey, guys! So, let's get right to it. This chapter is really kind of sad, but I don't want you to freak out while you read it. Remember, there's a reason for everything. Also, when you see Aves swear in elfish, it's really just Welch, so you foreign swear aficionados can go and look that up! On the other hand, this chapter is really sweet, so I really hope you guys don't go into diabetic shock…that would suck, really. Thanks to the Elves, HideAmongTheAshes(aka LuminescentQueen) and weirdgiraffe for reviewing. I'm really lonely now, 2 of my regulars have disappeared. Oh well. And im-the-doctor has posted up a challenge story, so you should read that. It's about Lexi. This chapter is for Morgane(I cry :'O), Leanna, and my mom.**

Aves' POV

I awoke in a bright room, the white light streaming in from the tall windows. It smelled faintly of Dittany, a magical plant used in healing. And then my eyes focused.

I was in the hospital wing, lying down on one of the stiff, springy beds. My body was stiff, and aching, but when I tried to move my arms, I found that they were lying helplessly by my side. On the bed to my right lay Cora, her face peaceful, but haggard. To my left, I spotted Amber, sleeping violently, with several gashes along her face. I tried to remember what had happened, but the last thing I remembered was watching a werewolf dive on me, its claws penetrating my flesh.

Suddenly, I heard a loud snore from the foot of my bed, and I sat up as much as I could to see who it was. My breath caught in my throat: his face was on my bed sheet, and his dark hair sprawled in every direction. He drooled on the cotton absentmindedly and I saw his nose twitch with every small snore. It was Alec.

I tried to move my legs away, and his head slipped down, hitting a metal bar. He mumbled softly, before sitting up, rubbing his eyes. I closed my eyes and breathed evenly, pretending to be asleep, but with my eyes open, ever so slightly. He stretched widely, shaking his head violently. Yawning deeply, he leaned forward, arranging the blanket over my shoulders and feet, making sure I wouldn't get cold. His eyes were wide with worry, as he lifted my head up gently, arranging the pillow underneath. As he pulled away, I saw that his white makeup was smudged with tear tracks. I felt my anger flare up: he had no right to cry over me! Not anymore!

I felt sensation return to my right arm, and I drew it back surreptitiously. His hand brushed a stray hair of mine on the side, and he leaned forward. At that moment, I pulled my hand out of the covers and shot it straight into his face, leaving a dark bruise around his eye, where I had punched him. He pulled back, his hands covering his eye as I glared at him, my hand losing all feeling.

"Good morning to you too, Aves," he groaned, a slight smile on his face.

"_Cachau Bant!_" I swore in Elfish, and he laughed.

"I can only guess as to what that means," he chuckled and I stared him down, my face dangerous.

"Why the hell are you here?" I asked him and he sat back down, sighing deeply.

"Do you want that list alphabetically or chronologically?" he asked me, a weak smile on his face. I rolled my eyes and sat up, crossing my legs under me.

"Stop joking, Alec. I'm sick and tired of this," I spat and he winced at my words.

"Fine. I made a mistake, okay?" he shrugged, lowering his head.

"Wow, that REALLY makes it all better! You made a mistake," I said sarcastically and he ran his hands through his dark hair, frustrated.

"God, Aves! Do you ever just take things at face value? I made a MISTAKE, can't you accept that?" he asked me, his voice rising ominously.

"No, I can't. And if that's something you just can't deal with, you may leave. I don't know why you're here anyways," I shook my head, and my hair cascaded down, hiding my face.

"I'm here to apologize for hurting you," he whispered softly, placing his hand on mine. I tried to shake it off, but my arm was just as senseless as before.

"Apology NOT accepted. You can leave," I inclined my head to the door and he nodded, standing up slowly. He ambled there, but turned to me before heading out the door.

"Aren't you the least bit curious as to why I even stayed? I could've apologized at any time," he asked, wiggling his eyebrows knowingly. _Shit, he knew me all too well._

"I may be, but I don't know if I want to hear it," I answered, and he bit his lip, before closing the door and staring at me, his green eyes shining.

"Aves, I wanted to ask you, you have to believe me. But I couldn't, and I can't tell you why," he said softly, and I shook my head.

"How exactly do you expect me to trust you, if you won't even trust me?" I asked him, and he shrugged, stepping forward.

"I can't tell you because I don't trust you. I can't tell you, because I'll die if I do," he said, pulling back his sleeve to show me his arm. In his flesh, near the surface, I saw letters appear, as though drawn in blood. _"Thou hast taken a vow of secrecy."_

I bit my lip, and turned away, trying to make the gears in my head work faster. Finally, it came to me.

"An Unbreakable Vow," I said simply, and he nodded, his eyes ashamed.

"Can you understand now? I've never told anyone, but I've never been this close to anyone either," he explained, looking deep into my eyes. For the first time, I noticed that he wasn't wearing his spiky dog collar, leaving his neck open. A small tattoo was drawn, curving around to the nape of his neck. The tattoo was of an eye, leaking a large tear.

"All I'm asking is for you to have faith. Please," he begged, and I glanced at him. Despite the dark shadows under his eyes, he looked as though his skin was glowing.

"So, why did you stay?" I asked, and he smiled softly, before sitting next to me, on the bed. He brushed my hair from my face with his hand and leaned forward, his face less than 2 inches away from mine.

"Isn't it obvious?" he asked, and bridged the gap between us, pressing his lips against mine. My breathing became ragged, and I kissed him back eagerly. I felt his lips move quicker, but gently, as though he didn't want to hurt me. His hands cupped my face softly and I breathed in the sweet smell of his hair: honeysuckle, my favorite plant. Finally, we pulled apart and his eyes were sparkling happily, as though he had fireworks beneath their surface. He placed his hand on mine, and we just sat there for a while, smiling.

I heard someone yell to the left of me, and I saw Ian wake up from his dream and rush over to Amber, gently shaking her awake.

"It's just a dream, it's not real. Come on, Amber, wake up!" he pleaded, his eyes racked with pain as he saw her whimper and scream, her body shaking violently. Suddenly, she sat up, her eyes open and teary, and her breathing heavy. She turned to Ian and hugged him tightly, digging her finger into his back.

"It was him again," she said and he nodded, stroking her hair softly. They sat together for a while, Ian rocking her back and forth.

"Aves! God, I'm so sorry! I didn't want to hurt anyone, especially you or Core," she exclaimed, pushing Ian away and jumping out of her bed, staggering drunkenly. Ian hurried over and pulled her arm over his shoulders, supporting her firmly. She walked over with his help, and sat on Alec's unoccupied chair, Ian never leaving her side. Firmly, she shook her head, and stared at him coldly.

"Ian, please go. I already told you, I don't want you here," she said frigidly, but I saw the pain in her eyes. He rolled his eyes and stared confidently back at her.

"And I already told you, that's bull. You're a horrible liar, Amber. I'm not going anywhere," he replied determinedly and she punched him, wincing as a gash in her arm reopened.

"Dammit, Ian. Don't you see what I AM? What I can do? I won't ever let myself hurt someone I care for again," she practically yelled, tears leaking from her eyes. Ian stood up and stared at her, his face angry.

"Amber, get this through your thick head. I. Am. Not. Leaving," he said, punctuating each word by bending his head several inches towards hers, and placing a kiss on her head at the end. I laughed, as she pushed him away, with his lips still puckered.

"HOW CAN YOU LAUGH AT THIS, AVES? After what I did to you?" she stared at me earnestly and I shook my head at her stubbornness.

"Amber, I'm fine. I get that you're scared, but not letting any living person near you is plain stupidity," I said simply, glancing at Alec, who bore a wide grin on his face at my words.

"You guys just don't get it! I KILL people," she exclaimed, tears streaming violently from her eyes. Ian placed a hand on her shoulder, but she didn't bother to shake it off as her skeletal body shook with tears.

"You didn't know, Amber," he whispered and her eyes flashed angrily.

"DOES IT MATTER IF I KNEW, IAN? I KILLED MY OWN BEST FRIEND! THERE'S NO ACT ON EARTH MORE UNFORGIVABLE THAN WHAT I DID!" she screamed, running her hands through her short hair wildly. I tried to get up, to help her, but my body was incapacitated. She had never told us, about any of this. Like it would've mattered if she were a werewolf.

"WHO KNOWS WHAT I'VE DONE TO AVES? OR TO CORA FOR THAT MATTER, IAN! SHE HASN'T MOVED AN INCH SINCE WE ARRIVED!" she shrieked, pointing at Core's still body.

"Amber, for the millionth time, I don't give a fuck as to WHAT you are. I care about WHO you are," he pleaded, and I saw her eyes soften, slightly, before icing up again.

"That may be true, Ian, but I care about what I am. I am a monster, and you deserve better," she said sadly, burying her face in her hands. He looked at her disbelievingly before smiling widely.

"Seriously? I must be getting close to convincing you if the best excuse you have is, 'you deserve better'. That's gotta be the worst justification I've ever heard!" he joked, and she glared at him, her eyes narrowing. I could feel the air around us get humid, as her anger flared up. He must've sensed it too, because his face became serious, and he placed his hands on her shoulders, staring into her electric eyes.

"I don't want anyone better, do you understand me? I want you," he said earnestly and she shook her head, a small smile on her face.

Suddenly, the doors to the hospital wing swung open wide and a tall man with light brown hair streaked with one or two gray hairs and dark brown-green eyes. His long face bore some distinctively reddish-brown stubbles, wrinkles and shadows that showed signs of exhaustion and several sleepless nights. Despite his haggard appearance, his face brightened with joy upon seeing Amber, and she ran forward, hugging him tightly. He lifted her into the air and spun her around, hugging her back.

"What happened, my Serigala?" he asked, and she lowered her head in shame. Ian simply sat there, shocked at seeing the strange man. We must've looked the same way, for he noticed and walked over briskly, Amber holding onto his hand.

"I don't suppose we've met yet. I'm Remus Wilcox, Amber's …uhhh," he looked uncomfortable and she punched him on the arm. Hard.

"Remus is my Dad," she explained and Alec raised an eyebrow at me. I shook my head minutely and looked up at Mr. Wilcox, smiling.

"I'm Aves. Sorry, I'd offer a hand, but I can't," I nodded, and he lowered his hand, his eyes shining in realization.

"I'm Alec," Alec interrupted, holding out his hand to Mr. Wilcox. This time, he simply took the hand, with a fairly strained smile on his face.

"And I'm Ian," Ian introduced himself, standing up to shake the hand of the father of the object of his desire. Mr. Wilcox looked at him closely, his eyes narrowed, before smiling genially and shaking the hand wholeheartedly. I had a feeling he could tell what I was thinking, and I spotted him surreptitiously turn to me and wink before sitting on Amber's empty bed and staring at her, his eyes kind.

"What happened?" he repeated, and she bit her lip before staring at him through teary eyes.

"I forgot to take my potion," she admitted and he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"We all forget things when have other, potentially more important, things on our minds," he said, his eyes moving to Ian, who was leaning against my bed, his eyes on Amber.

"No, Remus. You know why!" she exclaimed, backing away from him, her eyes darting back and forth between Ian and Remus. He shook his head and stood up, walking towards her slowly, his eyes exasperated.

"Amber, you forget. I'm a Reader, you can't hide your thoughts from me. I know how you feel about him," he said simply, nodding his head to Ian. Ian's eyes widened and he looked as though he wanted to wash his brains out with bleach.

"I don't care! I can control my feelings as a human, but I can't control myself as a werewolf! What will happen if I forget to take my potion again, and I attack him? I wouldn't be able to live with myself!" she cried, collapsing on her knees. Not thinking, Ian ran over and hugged her close, whispering in her ear.

"That won't happen, Amber. Anyways, I can take care of myself," he said and she rose, throwing him back with a powerful jet of water.

"NO! I've made up my mind, Ian. Stop trying to complicate this for me," she said, and he rose angrily.

"Damn it all, Amber. This decision doesn't just involve you! It involves me as well, and whether or not you like it, I'm staying. Stop trying to protect me," he yelled at her, and Remus walked up to her, bending down to look her in the eyes.

"You know I would never tell you to do anything unless it was for your own good. This young man seems to have grown genuinely attached to you, as you have to him. You can't seclude yourself forever, my Serigala. Open your heart to him, as you opened your heart to me," he said softly, staring at her earnestly. She smiled worriedly, and he nodded in response to her thoughts. Hugging him tightly, she ran forward and into Ian's shocked arms, lifting her feet up from the ground.

The doors to the Hospital Wing opened again, but this time, Dumbledore and Snape entered, the latter immediately hurrying to Cora. He shot me a look, half disdain and half sympathy, and nodded curtly. Snape didn't like me in any way, no doubt because of my abysmal Potions performance. My elf powers screwed up everything I tried to brew, and I was only able to pass with my essays and other homeworks.

Dumbledore walked over to me, a kind smile on his face, with his eyes twinkling brightly, as always.

"Good morning, Miss McGee. How are we feeling today?" he asked me and I shrugged.

"I'm fine, I guess. But I still can't move," I said, and his face fell. Waving his wand over my body, he nodded, sitting on the vacated chair.

"Avery, werewolf bites aren't the only cursed wounds you can receive. Werewolf claws have their own poison as well. It incapacitates you," he explained, and my breath caught in my throat. Alec squeezed my hand, and I shot him a worried look. _Would I never walk again?_

"Will she ever walk again?" Alec asked Dumbledore, sensing my shock. Dumbledore pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his spectacles absentmindedly. I felt my ears become red with anger. Why the hell wasn't he answering?

"There is a certain treatment that we could try. It would be extremely painful, however. I have known people who went mad of the pain," Dumbledore replied hesitantly, his voice sad. I felt the tears stream down my face, and Alec tapped them away.

"But even the treatment isn't guaranteed. You may stay like this forever," he said, and I began sobbing, hiding my eyes behind my hair. I thought of never being able to fly again, of never being able to do anything by myself. I'd be a puppet my entire life, and I wasn't going to let that happen.

"What's the treatment?" I asked him, and he smiled minutely at my courage.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk to your parents about this?" he asked me and I shook my head.

"Sir, my parents would make the same decision," I answered and he nodded, folding his hands.

"Professor Snape would concoct a Wolfsbane Potion, a potion meant to stop certain werewolf poisons. However, it doesn't counteract them. We would have to use more potent venom to remove the werewolf's poison. In this case, a mixture of Acromantula and Basilisk venom. Both are designed to kill, but at the last moment, when you are about to slip away, we give you Phoenix tears, to counteract the other venoms. There is a chance that we give you the tears too early, or too late, leading to paralysis or death," he explained and I nodded slowly. So, I could die. Or face eternal paralysis. Great.

"If the venom works," he continued, "you would regain control over your body, but you could never be completely healthy again."

I looked at Alec and he shook his head, his eyes pleading.

"Please, Aves, don't do this. You can't risk DYING for this," he said, gesturing to me, but I shook my head.

"I vowed that I would never let myself become a puppet. And if this is what I have to do, so be it," I stated, and he nodded, resigned. Dumbledore shot a knowing smile at us, before standing, brushing off some nonexistent dust from his violet robes.

"Shit, Aves. I'm sorry," Amber said again, her hand on her mouth, and her eyes wide, as she leaned against Ian for support.

"Shut up, Amber. It wasn't your fault," I told her and she laughed sadly, placing her hand on her dad's shoulder and lowering herself onto the chair.

I leaned back and closed my eyes, hoping that when I awoke, this would all have been a dream. If only things were that easy.

**A/N: How'd I do? Please don't yell at me, I know what I did to Aves was sad, but there's a reason! And to all of you Alec/Aves lovers, of course I wasn't going to keep them apart. They are perfect, and now you know why! Please review, I can't tell you how much it means to me! I'm 5 reviews away from 100, and I have 1359 hits just for this month! I'm so ecstatic, I love you guys sooo much! Remember, flames and hugs are welcome, oh wait, now I'm going to get tens of 3****rd****-Degree burns because of this chapter. Shit. Oh, well! Here are our latest challenge results:**

**1****st****: AverytheElf: 2pts (drawings of Alec, Aves)**

**Tied for second:**

**SkyeElf: 1.5 pts (lia's prologue, must read!)**

**Im-the-doctor: 1.5 pts (lex's prologue, must read)**

**3rd: clairwe: 1pt (lia drawing)**

**Tied for 4****th****:**

**Kariann-Chan, HideAmongTheAshes, weirdgiraffe, emcee31, Dr. Rae**

**Awesomely done!**

**And to those of you who have never seen Warehouse 13, and want to know what Amber looks like, in my head, watch it! She's Claudia!**

**Days until D-Day: 3x5 or 15**


	25. Treatment and the Room

**A/N: 'Sup, readers? Sorry, I'm kind of hyper, because I made myself 2 grilled cheeses today, which somewhat explains my delay in delivering this new chapter to you. Now, whilst you read the first bit, it's important to pick up on Cora's behavior. It will be VERY important in later chapters. This is the treatment chapter, so I really hope you enjoy! It's very sweet, but the last part is fairly dark. Oh, and YAYAYAYAY! You guys helped me get to 100 reviews! I love you forever, but my happiness yesterday was miffed when I saw a story with 16 chapters and over 1000 reviews. :'(. Oh well, I'm happy to have you guys, the best reviewers any girl could ask for. No recent news in terms of the challenge (come on!) and I'm quite surprised that no one has written a story on, say, Seth, our wronged ghost! But, you can't have it all. Thanks to the Elves, im-the-doctor(finally!), weirdgiraffe and HideAmongTheAshes for reviewing. Here's a grilled cheese for your efforts. Or biltong/ crêpes if you prefer! This chapter is for my reviewers, Riana, Mausi and LV. **

Cora's POV

I was back in the Room of Requirement, where I had seen Cassandra. The Room didn't look the same, though. It was now filled with hundreds of Pensieves, creating an eerie silver light around the Room. Looking around, I noticed that Cassandra was nowhere to be found and I breathed a sigh of relief: I wasn't dead.

I walked forward, and staggered. The ground wasn't solid. Instead, it seemed to be made of a cloud-like substance. The ground around a Pensieve seemed to be solid enough so I pulled my foot out and continued walking. Gradually, I began to see the shadow a dark figure at the Pensieve on the far side of the room, surrounded by mirrors. I glided over to the Pensieve and gasped when I recognized the face. Seth.

"Hey, Core. I see you've found the Memory Room," he said, tapping the Pensieve with his wand. I saw the face of a beautiful girl disappear in the waves of the silvery liquid and turned to him. He wasn't a ghost anymore, he seemed just as full-bodied as I was. Stepping forward, he hugged me tightly, and looked into my eyes, smiling to himself.

"Do you like the change? I should appear in people's visions more often," he mused, scratching his hair. His scar was more noticeable now, standing out red against his pale skin. He stood about a head taller than me, his shaggy hair reaching his shoulders and covering his bright green eyes. His hands were stuck in his coat pocket and he bore a wide grin, as though he forgot his worries. But his eyes were pained, and I smiled back, not wanting him to know.

"It's not bad. Why am I here?" I asked him and he turned on his heel, walking back towards the Pensieve.

"The Memory Room holds the memories of all fallen Newids. It is here that your memories are stored as well, though not in a Pensieve, but in those paintings, on the wall," he said, gesturing to the walls. Several had already been painted, but others were swirling silver.

"Why can't I see some of them?" I asked and he nodded stepping towards the nearest.

"Those that have not yet been painted, are the memories that have not yet been formed. They exist, but constantly change and evolve, with every situation. However, each one that is silver shows truth, things that you already know, but are unwilling to admit. Take a look," he pointed to the nearest and I stuck my head in hesitantly. The picture was blurry, but it cleared after a while and I saw a face stare at me, his eyes soft and warm, as I had never seen them before. It was Aidan, and I felt my heart jump as I pulled my head out, shaking my head violently. Seth placed his hand on my shoulder and nodded.

"It doesn't always show us what we want, Cora. The truth is not a pleasant thing, but a necessary one," he said simply and I walked over to another portrait. It showed me trying to heal Aves, but not succeeding.

"Why couldn't I heal her?" I asked him and he leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. After a while, he brushed his hair back and breathed deep.

"Aves had cursed wounds, Cora. I have never heard of a Newid being able to heal such a thing. There is nothing you can do, I'm afraid," he told me, and I shook my head.

"That's not true. I was given these powers for a reason, and I landed in this room for a reason. The answer lies here, I know it!" I nodded, and began rushing over to the Pensieves, running my wand over them, in search of an answer.

"Cora. Please, Cora, stop," Seth said and I rounded on him.

"NO! I am going to save my best friend, do you understand?" I yelled at him and he pulled away, shaking his head.

"You know, I knew someone like you once. He was also determined to save his best friend from the unsolvable. His attempt failed, Cora, and he died because of it," Seth told me softly and I felt my eyes darken, and my mind lock him in place.

"Really, Seth? Who?" I asked, my voice venomous.

"Me," he answered, shaking my grip off and turning to the Pensieve that he had looked at earlier.

"This is my Pensieve. And this," he told me, waving his wand over the liquid, "was Zoë Davenport." A face appeared and I recognized the girl that I had seen during Seth's death. She had inky black hair that fell to her elbows in soft curls, and bright amber eyes that glinted mischievously. Her angled eyebrows and soft pink lips gave the impression that she was constantly smiling. Seth smiled sadly and continued on.

"I fell in love with her, my third year. Unfortunately, I wasn't the only one. My best friend, Hector did as well. We fought, and I lost. He had threatened her and I tried to shield a Killing Curse with my powers. The shield drained all of my energy and I died. And then Cassandra showed up, and I saw the scene underneath me. Zoë was weeping over my still body, and I had to see her, one last time. Cassandra gave me a choice: die now, or when the Killing Curse hit me. I chose to go back, if even for several seconds. So I returned, and died looking into her eyes. Hector slashed my face, and drained my powers, thinking that he could get Zoë if he did. I couldn't cross though, so I became a ghost. They didn't know, but I followed them for years. Zoë became depressed and lifeless, and Hector turned more insane by the day. He heard voices and saw things; it's unnatural for a Drainer to take a higher level's powers. After they left Hogwarts, Hector asked her to marry him, and Zoë didn't have the energy to turn him down. One night, she came home after a day of work, and he had an outburst, killing her in the process. I watched it all happen, and even went to her funeral. Hector went to St. Mungo's, and as far as I know, he's still there," Seth told me, and I felt the tears stream down my face. I patted his shoulder, and he turned to me, his eyes wide.

"Cora, there are things even we can't do. It may be true that we are the most powerful beings in the universe, but we can't know all, do all and fix all. Now, there is a picture I need you to see," he told me, and I nodded. Walking over to the wall, he gestured to a small picture wedged between two larger ones. It depicted me on my broom, flying on the Quidditch Pitch, straight down. Suddenly, I swerved upwards and flew beneath a falling figure with ice-blond hair. He hit me violently and we fell downwards, until the infamous red shield formed around me, throwing him into the stands. I looked away, my heart throbbing dangerously as I remembered how long I had landed him in St. Mungo's.

"Cora, what you did that day was extraordinarily brave, but impulsive. You reacted in a state of panic to save someone you love, and wound up hurting them and yourself. Think about your actions, you are infinitely more powerful than you can ever comprehend," Seth insisted and I nodded mutely, wrapping my hands around my waist. It was surprisingly cold in here. Seth saw my shivering figure and nodded gesturing to the center of the room.

"Cora, you have become extremely powerful. What you did, last night. Transforming a werewolf back into their true self. That requires immense skill, concentration and raw power. But the healing powers you'd need to help Aves are infinitely more advanced and require decades to master. Even at your rate, you wouldn't be able to help her before the venom has spread to an incurable level," he explained, and I nodded.

"Good. Then it's time," he said and I raised an eyebrow.

"Time for what?" I asked and he smirked, pulling back his sleeves.

"Time for you to wake up," he answered, and shot a powerful shield down on me, forcing me through the thick cloud.

I was falling through pitch-black darkness, screaming mutely. Gradually, I began to spot a light at the bottom, beginning faintly but then growing brighter and brighter. Focusing my eyes, I saw myself, lying unconscious on the Hospital bed, my hair sprawled all over my face, but my body perfectly still except for my gentle breathing. Suddenly, I felt myself be pulled faster and into my body, causing my eyes to open widely, and my breathing to quicken.

Sitting up, I noticed that Aves was talking animatedly with Alec to my left, not noticing my sudden awakening. I swung my legs out of the bed and glanced around. At the bed farthest to my left, I saw Amber lying down, her hand firmly holding Ian's as Dumbledore and a tall, haggard man talked intently.

"How long have I been asleep?" I asked Aves and Alec spun around, nearly falling off her bed.

"Cora! You're awake!" she yelled and I nodded, walking over to her bed, the room spinning slightly.

"Apparently, I've been asleep for a while," I commented, and she laughed, her hair shaking violently. I noticed that the rest of her body wasn't moving and I walked forward, lifting her arm up gently. Alec looked away, his face pained, as her hand dropped helplessly by her side, and she shook her head.

"I can't move anymore, Core. I may be able to once they do the treatment, but there's no guarantee," she said, and my breath caught in my throat. _She may be paralyzed forever?_

"Shit, Aves," I commented and she nodded, her eyes indifferent.

"You got that right," she replied and I smiled, shaking my head. Alec turned back to her and placed his hand on hers, smiling softly.

"When did this happen?" I asked, gesturing to their intertwined hands. He laughed softly, and turned to me.

"While you were sleeping," he replied, and I raised an eyebrow, upon which he raised 2 in response. Aves rolled her eyes and sighed, looking at her limp hand.

"Who's that?" I gestured to the tall man and Aves turned to me, her eyes cautious.

"Amber's dad. He and Dumbledore have been talking for an hour now. I don't think Dumbledore wants her at Hogwarts anymore," Aves said, her eyes moving to Amber, who was curled up against Ian, her eyes wide in worry.

"Dumbledore knows better than that. It's probably Amber's dad that's worried about her. I mean, the entire school must know by now," I retaliated and Aves nodded her head, considering the option. In the meantime, Alec began digging through his bag and pulled out a bag filled with sweets. He handed me several pieces, before pulling out a chocolate bar and breaking off a small piece, placing it in Aves' open mouth.

"Look at you guys. Barely official for several hours and already feeding each other," I joked and Aves shot me a glare, snatching another piece of chocolate with her teeth.

"I'm hungry, Core. It's not like I can feed myself," she said coldly, and I nodded, looking down.

"Sorry. You just looked like you could use a pick me up," I noticed and she shrugged her shoulders, barely.

"I know, Cora. I'm being bitchy cause I hate having to rely on someone else," she looked down and Alec shook his head, lifting her head with his finger.

"Hey, I don't mind. I wouldn't leave now anyways. Not with you in this state," he said, and she smiled at him gratefully.

Suddenly, the doors to the Hospital Wing swung open, and a large group of people entered, with Lex and Jack in the lead. Glancing around, I recognized the entire Ravenclaw and Gryffindor Quidditch teams, Xander and Evan, Will, Bex and even Lia, her dark hair frizzy and messy. Will ran forward and pulled me into a tight hug, squeezing all air out of me.

"Nice…to…see…you…too - I…can't…breathe!" I exclaimed and he let go, his eyes wide with concern. He smiled at me, handing me the bag off his shoulder.

"Some normal clothes. I doubt you want to stay in that dress forever," he winked and rejoined the group. The Gryffindor team walked over, Adrian and Christine holding hands. Smiling widely, Jack stepped forward and handed me a short, stubby package shaped like a human calf. I tore open the wrapping paper and nearly dropped my gift: a shiny new Mahogany Beater's Bat. I hugged them all tightly: that must've cost a fortune! Smiling, they rejoined the group, Xander and Bex stepping forward, a large basket in their arms.

"From the house-elves," he whispered coyly, his eyes darting to Dumbledore. I chuckled to myself and placed the basket on my bed, thanking the two of them.

Lia stepped forward and enveloped me in a tight hug. She looked exhausted and handed me several sheets of paper, looking at me with wide eyes.

"The newest drawings. Of you-know-who," she whispered in my ear and I nodded, laying them gently on my bed, face down.

Finally, Evan walked over, and wrapped his lanky arms around me, holding me close, his chin resting on my head. Smiling faintly, I got on my tiptoes and kissed him, gently at first, before he began kissing me urgently, as though he needed it to live. When I pulled away, I saw that his eyes were pained, and I smiled consolingly, stroking his head.

"I thought I would lose you," he said, and I shook my head, my nose twitching.

"Not that easily, Griffiths," I joked and he laughed softly, mussing his hair with his hand. Taking his hand in mine, I walked forward and smiled brightly.

"Thank you so much for coming, but I don't deserve any of this. Aves is the hero here," I said and Dumbledore turned, smiling at me knowingly. _I hate it when he does that! Shit, he can read my mind! Quick, think of something else. TacosTacosTacosTacos…_

He chuckled and turned to Mr. Wilcox, nodding genially.

Snape entered the Wing as well, his cloak billowing out from behind him. He shot me a smile, but I glared at him and he shook his head, exhaling deeply. His sickly pale forehead bore beads of sweat and his hair shone of grease in the bright light.

"Sir, the potion shall be ready in about 10 minutes," he told Dumbledore, and he nodded, scratching his beard.

"Very well, Severus. Have the poisons been prepared as well?" Dumbledore asked and Sev nodded, his greasy hair sticking to the sides of his face.

"Then there's no time to waste. Students who are not patients of the Hospital Wing must leave, unless you wish for any to remain," he inquired, glancing at Aves. She nodded and looked around, her eyes searching.

"Cora and Amber," she said, and Alec looked at her disbelievingly, but she shook her head.

"I don't want you to see me like that," she explained and he sat down firmly, grabbing her hand.

"Bullshit, Aves. I'm not going anywhere," he told her firmly and she smiled widely, her teeth glinting. Evan looked at me, and I placed a kiss on his cheek. Amber looked at Aves and tightened her grip on Ian, not letting him leave. She looked afraid, as though he'd never return, as though this had all been a dream. Aves spotted this and nodded resignedly, Amber's eyes glinting happily. The rest of the group cleared out, Mr. Wilcox being the last to leave, smiling happily at his daughter.

We gathered around her bed, and Alec squeezed her hand reassuringly. Even Dumbledore looked nervous, his eyes glinting icily.

Madam Pomfrey came in and removed the gauze from Aves' shoulders, revealing the wounds underneath. A putrid smell, like one of rotten flesh, wafted into the air, but the wounds themselves were clean, yet wide open. The medi-witch placed another pillow under her head, before tapping her hand and heading back into her office, to retrieve the rest of her supplies. She returned briskly, a large carpetbag in one hand, and her twisted wand in the other.

Snape returned to the Wing several minutes later, several flasks of potion levitating in front of him. He lowered them onto my bed and uncapped the first one: a grey potion that smelled like rotten bark, humid and disgusting. Dumbledore held his hand out, and Snape handed him the potion, turning back to the other flasks.

"Ahh, Wolfsbane Potion," Dumbledore mused, smelling the potion cautiously. Shaking back his long sleeves, he leaned forward and placed the mouth of the flask on her bottom lip, allowing the liquid to seep into her throat. She drank, her eyes disgusted at the taste, until the flask was empty before gagging, and shuddering in revulsion.

"That's almost as bad as my mom's hazel brownies. God, that shit was revolting!" she exclaimed, before shutting her mouth, her eyes wandering to Dumbledore, whose eyebrow was raised slightly.

"No matter, Avery. Profanity is in our dictionary, so, logically, saying 'shit' is the same as saying 'apple'," he said, a small smile on his face. I glanced at Amber, who was snickering to Ian's arm, her body trembling.

Avery glanced at me and smiled bravely, as though nothing could be any worse than the revolting liquid. I had a strong feeling she was wrong.

Aves' POV

That potion had tasted like feet. And don't ask me how I know what feet taste like! It's a long story…

Snape turned to Dumbledore and nodded, another flask in his hand. The liquid looked clear as water but viscous as molasses. I could smell it, even from 5 ft away: a sickly sweet aroma, the kind that made you want to barf. Dumbledore took it from his hands and looked at me, his eyes grave.

"Avery, this is the poison. Once we give this to you, you are going to go through the worst pain you can imagine, and then even worse. There's no turning back after this. Are you sure?" he asked me and I nodded firmly, shaking my hair out of my face. Alec placed his other hand on my arm and looked me in the eyes, his eyes shining with worried tears. Cora stood by my head and kneeled, her face smiling with encouragement. Dumbledore then stepped forward and poured the small vial of poison down my throat.

At first, I felt nothing. The poison was like honeyed water, slipping down my throat slowly. And then came the pain.

I felt as though someone was stabbing me with a hundred knives, each wound then poured with acid of the highest concentration. My entire body felt as though someone was stripping the skin from it and I screamed loudly, my vision forming black spots. I felt myself begin to convulse, my entire body shaking and moving without my will. Alec, however, kept his firm position and stroked my hair softly, muttering words of encouragement and hope. Some Slytherin he was. Cora looked panicked, her eyes trying to clear enough for her to still me, but my screams stopping her every time. Amber placed a cold, wet hand on my forehead, and I felt the drops of water stream down my face.

"She's as warm as an inferno, Albus. We must stop," Madam Pomfrey said, waving her wand over my twitching body and muttering, "_Immobulus._" Dumbledore shook his head, looking at my eyes, which must have turned red by now.

"Not yet, Poppy. This is only the beginning," he muttered, shaking his head sadly. I felt like yelling at him, but this had been my choice.

My flesh began stinging, as though thin spikes were being shoved into my arm, one by one. The venom coursed through my veins, leaving destruction wherever it went. My head beat like a drum and the pain was beyond excruciating. Suddenly, my breathing became ragged, and I felt my airways close up. My heart beat faster and harder, leaving a crushing feeling of pressure on my chest, as though a ton of rocks lay, one on top of the other, right above my heart.

"Alec," I croaked and he leaned forward, his eyes wide with worry. He kissed the top of my forehead and got up, his face crazed.

"HOW CAN YOU JUST STAND THERE AND DO NOTHING? SHE'S 13, FOR MERLIN'S SAKE! SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT SHE'S GOTTEN HERSELF INTO! STOP IT! LOOK AT HER, STOP IT!" he yelled at Dumbledore, pointing his finger at me.

"Mr. Carmicheal, hold your tongue!" Snape yelled at him, but Dumbledore shook his head and placed his wrinkled hand on Alec's shoulder.

"Son, this was her choice. I am obliged to follow her will, but I commend you for your love. What house are you in?" he asked Alec curiously and Alec lowered his head.

"Slytherin, sir," he replied and Dumbledore nodded knowingly.

"Possesive, protective and determined. You seem to possess every good quality a Slytherin can have. Well done, my boy," Dumbledore mused, before walking elegantly to Cora's bed and picking up another vial, this one much smaller than the last. Alec rushed by my side and smiled to himself, placing a light kiss on my nose.

My vision began to fail and I could feel my eyes rolling back. I could hear Alec yelling, his velveteen voice shrouded and distorted through my pounding ears. Dumbledore waited, poised above my head, and let several drops of the tears slip into my slacking mouth. I felt the pain retreat slowly, but my mind slipped into the unconscious, and the world around me vanished, leaving me in the darkness of my own mind.

**A/N: First of all, don't yell at me for the cliffhanger! You'll find out soon enough, tomorrow even! Second of all, how'd I do? No, seriously, though. I'm really worried I flunked, big time. Please review, flames and hugs are welcome. I appreciate any and ALL criticism, especially since I really would love to know how far I should continue this story. I don't want you guys to feel forced to read this, especially if it sucks. Sorry for my kind of sour mood, but I suppose this is what writers call the "overly critical and self put-down phase" Here are the latest challenge results:**

**1****st****: AverytheElf: 2pts (drawings of Alec, Aves)**

**Tied for second:**

**SkyeElf: 1.5 pts (lia's prologue, must read!)**

**Im-the-doctor: 1.5 pts (lex's prologue, must read)**

**3rd: clairwe: 1pt (lia drawing)**

**Tied for 4****th****:**

**Kariann-Chan, HideAmongTheAshes, weirdgiraffe, emcee31, Dr. Rae**

**Awesomely done!**

**Days until D-Day:7x2, or 14 days (2 weeks you guys!)**


	26. Secrets, Terrors and Deals

**A/N: Sorry this took so long to write, but it was TORTURE. I hate writing sad chapters, because I'm not such a depressing person, but this chapter is chock-full of tears, so grab some Kleenex. Please read with an open mind, you may curse later, but there is a reason for everything I write. I'm no masochist, for god's sake Cora is based on me, and half of the other characters are based on people I know. It will get better, but November is a dark and gloomy month inside the Hogwarts walls. Thanks to the Elves, im-the-doctor, weirdgiraffe and HideAmongTheAshes for reviewing. You guys made me so happy yesterday! This chapter has some fluff, to make up for the sad bits, so prepare. This chapter is dedicated to SkyeElf and Leanna. **

**P.S.-I don't do this very often, because I can't find the right song, but I found the perfect soundtrack song for this chapter. The suggested song is Secrets by OneRepublic. Enjoy, I love that song.**

Aves' POV

I remembered total and utter agony. The worst pain I had ever experienced. But then, I saw Alec's face in the darkness that encompassed my world.

He stepped forward, wearing the same clothes that I had seen him in that day before Arithmancy. His face bore his trademark grin, mischievous and joking, but his warm eyes were staring at me as though I were his all. His everything. So this must be a dream.

"Aves," he said softly, his voice echoing in the darkness. He shrugged his hand out of his jeans pocket and handed it to me. I noticed that I was wearing my favorite checkered jeans and a simple black shirt, which clung to my skin. I took his hand and he smiled softly, pulling me up from the ground. My stomach fluttered nervously as he pulled me close, placing his long hands around my tiny waist. And then we were dancing.

At first, we just spun around awkwardly, my feet not wanting to move properly. He smirked at my sheepish face, and took one of his hands off my waist and slid it gently into mine, intertwining our fingers.

"Ready?" he asked me, raising his eyebrow. I nodded gently, my eyes plastered on his face and he began spinning us around, his feet sliding smoothly across the floor. He was an amazing dancer, and I let him control my movements. I saw his eyes twinkle as he stared down at me, his shaggy hair covering his forehead. The butterflies got worse, but I didn't want to do anything to stop them.

Finally, we slowed down and he pulled me close, so that my head was resting against his chest. Then he placed a long finger under my chin and lowered his head, his eyes half closed.

Our lips met softly, gently, as if we were afraid of the kiss. My breathing began to accelerate and I reached up on my tiptoes, tangling my fingers in his dark hair, pulling him closer. He kissed me lovingly, passionately, but reserved, as though he was fearful of making me angry. I felt his hand land on my head, laying softly against my hair. When we finally pulled away, I nipped the bottom of his lip softly and he pulled me close, his arms wrapped tight around me. I hugged him tightly, breathing in his musky smell, until I heard a low growl. Pulling away, I looked up at him and noticed that his eyes looked at me cruelly, and his lips were pulled into a sadistic sneer.

Suddenly, his face began to change, distorting and molding itself into someone else's. He shot down to my height, his ears elongating and his nose growing pixie-like. His dark hair shot back into his head, turning a bright red, just like mine. I saw his face darken and freckles appear, speckling his nose. It looked like a Polyjuice transformation, but why? His eyes turned a dark black, empty and cold. With a shudder, I recognized the person in front of me.

"Rhain?" I asked, afraid of the answer. The boy sneered, his eyebrows raising arrogantly.

"Are you disappointed to see me, sis? I though we had an agreement," he whispered dangerously, his eyes flashing. I saw the muscles in his arms roll threateningly and cringed. He noticed this and smiled crookedly.

"Ah, not disappointed, I see. But afraid. Who was that?" he asked me, his voice dangerously sweet. My breathing became haggard and I backed away slowly, but he followed me, his stride catlike.

"Don't bother answering. That kiss told me enough," he said, shaking his head as he ran his fingers through his hair, which was so like mine.

"You'll never learn, sis," he chuckled and slapped me hard across the face, leaving deep scratches against my skin. I fell back and saw him crack his knuckles menacingly, a joy and hunger in his eyes. My heart began pounding in terror, as I recalled the last time he had looked at me like that.

"You. Are. Mine," he said softly, before vanishing in a cloud of smoke. I sat up and felt my body shake violently. _Not again, Aves. Not again._ I felt my breathing stop and the tears rise to my eyes. No one knew, not even our parents. No one knew about what Rhain did to me. And I had sworn to myself that no one would ever know.

I woke up suddenly, a sheen of sweat on my face. Alec was sitting next to me, his face worried as he stroked my arm, drawing patterns with his long finger. I stared at him and felt my heart throb painfully. Rhain wouldn't get the satisfaction of killing another. Not this time.

"Did it work?" I asked him, my voice trembling dangerously. He looked at me sadly, his eyes unfocused and dreamy, before lighting up and smiling widely.

"Cora, Amber! She's awake!" he yelled and they raised their heads from what seemed to have been a heated Wizard's Chess match. I saw them smile widely and rush over, their eyes shining fakely. What had happened while I was unconscious?

"Thank god you're awake! We were so worried! You should've seen Cora, she kept pacing like a worried mother," Amber joked and Cora punched her arm, but I saw the bags of worry under her eyes. She hadn't slept in a while. Ian shook his head and stood up, walking to Amber, shooting a smile at me.

"How are you feeling, love? I'm going to get you some pumpkin juice," Alec said, standing up hurriedly. He kept his face hidden: he knew I could read him like a book.

"Alec, answer my question, please. Did the treatment work?" I asked him again, more urgently this time. Slowly, he turned to me, his hand covering his face. I panicked: he wasn't smiling. And Alec smiled ALL THE TIME. That was one of the reasons I liked him so damn much.

Cora stepped next to me, and took my hand in hers, clearing her throat.

"Aves-" she began but I cut her off with a look. I turned my head back to Alec, who had silent tears running down his face. Ian was holding Amber close, his hand intertwined firmly in hers. They knew, every single one of them, but they wouldn't tell me.

"Alec, please. I beg of you, tell me," I pleaded and he nodded, breathing deep. He sat down next to me, biting his lip. I saw the blood gush out the wound, but he ignored it, staring deep into my eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Aves. It didn't work," he told me, and my entire world came crashing down.

Cora's POV

Aves was in shock. She just kept staring at Alec with a blank look on her face, shaking her small head. He was staring at her determinedly, stroking her hair softly. Suddenly, she began sobbing softly, the tears streaming down her face. Alec looked at us pleadingly and we nodded, walking away from the bed. Before we left, I saw Alec lying down next to Aves, cradling her in his arms, and just allowing her to cry. I closed the door and turned to Amber, who was shaking her head gently.

"Poor Aves. She'll never be able to walk, to do anything!" she exclaimed, looking into Ian's mismatched eyes. I bit my lip, hard and felt my hands tighten in anger. The energy always built up when I got angry, which happened a LOT. Curse my fucking temper!

I shot the energy into the wall, leaving the stone dented like metal. Running my hands wildly through my tangled, frizzy hair, I felt the skin on my lips break and reheal almost instantly. Seth had said my powers were growing stronger, but not strong enough. But what if I could force them to grow stronger?

"Cora, are you okay? You look like a rabid dog," Ian asked, gesturing to my crazed eyes. I nodded hurriedly, but sprinted away, in the direction of the library. While I forced my legs to move faster, I tried to recall the book in which I had found the article. It was in the paraxene section-that much I remembered.

I entered the library out of breath, and panting loudly. The librarian, Madam Puig, glared at me and placed a crooked finger to her lips, warning me to be quiet. I stormed silently over to the Paraxene section and browsed the books, looking for the one that I had seen. Finally, I found it, wedged between two thick books on Readers. I pulled it out and laid it on the table, rifling through its contents wildly. The book looked deceptively small, but it was the perfect source of information on all Paraxene powers. And then I found the article.

_Enhancers are paraxenes with impressive powers that allow them to enhance the powers of another. The most famous of Enhancers was Helga Hufflepuff herself, who chose to not use her powers in the great struggles between Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin. Instead, she chose to enhance the powers of Rowena Ravenclaw, who used her abilities as a Newid to settle the conflict. Certain Enhancers can only intensify the powers of certain Paraxenes, but the most powerful can enhance the powers of even a Newid, just as Helga did._

I nodded to myself and bit my tongue determinedly. What I needed was an Enhancer. And I knew just the person who could help me find one.

I hurried to the Common Room and practically yelled at the Fat Lady for not letting me in. Thankfully, Nick let me in and I ran up the stairs to the 3rd year dormitory, banging on the door.

"What?" Evan said, opening the door. He recognized me and chuckled nervously. I noticed he was only wearing a pair of shorts and had to focus on the floor to keep myself from staring at him like an idiot.

"Where's Xander?" I asked him and he raised an eyebrow before turning his head and yelling,

"Oi, Xander! Cora needs to talk to you!" he yelled, before closing the door behind him as he stepped out.

"Are you okay, Core? Why do you keep staring at the ground?" he asked me, placing a hand on my shoulder. He sounded worried and hurt, his voice deep.

"You're not wearing a shirt," I said sheepishly, and he chuckled lightly, conjuring a shirt out of nowhere. Unfortunately, it was tight, and clung to his chest like crazy, so it didn't help much.

"That better?" he asked, and I shook my head silently. I didn't want to look at him because he would think I was an idiot, but I LIKED him without his shirt. Curse my hormones. He laughed loudly and pulled me into a tight hug. I looked at his face, and his eyes were wide with sympathy.

"It's not your fault, Core. I know you think it is, but it isn't," he told me, and I nodded, looking away. I was a terrible liar.

Placing his arms on the small of my back, he reached down and kissed me firmly, our lips working furiously. The butterflies in my stomach flew around pathetically, but I didn't care. Evan made me HAPPY.

"You lot! Stop, you're scarring me for life!" Xander yelled, interrupting us. I heard Evan groan in his throat, but he pulled away and shot me a sad smile, before walking back into the dorm.

"You called, Core?" Xander asked, a regal look on his face. I giggled and looked at him, my eyes darkening.

"You said that you could detect powers. I need your help," I told him and he nodded, crossing his arms.

"What's in it for me?" he asked and I rolled my eyes. The dude always thought in terms of REWARD.

"I'll consider not breaking your lousy jaw," I said, and he chuckled darkly.

"No offense, Core, but you're half my size. I can take you on anytime," he replied, rolling his eyes. My eyes went black in anger and I wordlessly raised him into the air and let him float about 25ft off the ground. His face blanched: he hated heights.

"Okay, fine! I'll help!" he yelled and I nodded, satisfied. I lowered him back down and he glared at me, his eyes flashing dangerously. No doubt I would be on the end of another prank.

"I need you to tell me the name of the most powerful Enhancer in this school. You have 5 minutes," I ordered him and he rolled his eyes at my authoritarian tone.

"You could say please," he mumbled, but I saw his eyes go entirely white. After a while, he snapped back into reality, his breathing ragged.

"There's only one," he said, gasping wildly. I helped him sit down on the couch and placed my hand on his head, calming the headache.

"Thanks," he mumbled, staring into the fire absentmindedly. He shook his head in shame and stared at me, his eyes teary.

"Xander, are you okay?" I asked and he shook his head, laughing bitterly.

"Aves is in the hospital wing, paralyzed, right now, because of ME," he spat, placing his head in his hands.

"What? Xander, how can you think that?" I gasped. I certainly hadn't expected HIM to guilt himself. Xander blew everything off like a joke.

"Dammit, Core! I USED her!" he exclaimed, looking at me with wild eyes. _What in the name of Merlin was he talking about?_

"I used her to get to Bex," he mumbled softly and my eyes went wide. Aves was her friend, it was true. Bex was just as mischievous as the twins, but her pranks involved much more planning and much less spontaneity.

"Bex?" I asked him and he looked at me, his eyes ashamed. He nodded and I smiled.

"God, I feel like the Mother Hen!" I exclaimed, waving my hands in the air. He chuckled and ruffled my hair like I was a little girl.

"The Enhancer that you're looking for. She's a Slytherin," he mumbled and I shrugged. Their house didn't necessarily matter to me.

"I don't care, Xander. This is urgent," I told him and he nodded, resigned.

"Carmicheal. Isabella Carmicheal," he said, looking at me with hesitant eyes. I groaned inwardly. Peachy. Just fucking peachy.

I walked to the Slytherin Common Room, my hands deep in my pockets. This was a freaking suicide mission. I had to go and beg Isabella CARMICHEAL for help. Shit, this was a horrible plan.

I reached the Common Room and stared at the wall, willing it to open. The door didn't open, so I waited, leaning against the wall. Finally someone came by. To my great luck, it was Aidan. Crap in a goddamn huge bucket.

"Cora? What are you doing here?" he asked, furrowing his eyebrows adorably. I was seized by an urge to hit him and kiss him at the same time, so I just shook my head and gestured to the wall.

"That's none of your business. Let me in," I told him and he crossed his arms, an angry look on his face.

"What the hell is your PROBLEM? We used to be friends, for Merlin's sake!" he exclaimed and I lost it.

"SERIOUSLY, AIDAN? YOU WANT TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION NOW? FINE, HOW ABOUT WE START WITH THE FACT THAT YOU KNOCKED MY FRIEND OFF HIS BROOM, NEARLY KILLING THE BLOKE!" I yelled and he backed away. I shot a ball of electricity at him, but he dodged it, stepping to the side.

"I apologized for that, Core," he argued but I felt my eyes go extremely black, which they only did during a blind rage.

"YOU APOLOGIZED BY CLAIMING LOVE FOR ME, YOU ASSHOLE!" I yelled at him, my ears burning dangerously.

"I didn't "claim" anything, Core. I told the truth," he said simply and I shot a shield at him, blowing him back.

"Really, Vestey? I find that hard to believe, considering I SAW you and your girlfriend snogging for England during the Ball!" I shrieked and he rolled his eyes. Standing up, he brushed his bruised hands on his jeans and stepped forward, his eyes pleading. Suddenly, his lips were pressed against mine, working furiously. His strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me closer and I sensed his hand tangle itself in my matted hair. I felt the butterflies in my stomach go wild, but I fought him wildly, pushing him away. As he stumbled back, I slapped him across the face as hard as I could.

"YOU COMPLETE DICKHEAD! HOW DARE YOU! OPEN THAT DOOR OR I WILL CURSE YOU TO OBLIVION, SO HELP ME MERLIN!" I swore and he mumbled the password, leaving the door to appear in the wall. I stepped in and turned to him as I walked away. He was sitting against the wall, his face beyond depressed.

_If he only knew…_

Isabella was standing by the fireplace, talking animatedly to some 4th year, who was looking at her like he couldn't wait to get her clothes off. I gagged a little, but stepped forward, my hands on my hips.

"We have to talk," I said, and she turned around, a disgusted look on her face.

"What in the world makes you think I would talk to you, Mudblood?" she asked me haughtily, a sneer apparent on her face.

Shit, I hadn't thought of that.

"Listen, I need your help, and I'm willing to give you anything you want in return," I told her and she raised an eyebrow cautiously.

"Really? What an _interesting_ proposition," she mused and the guy looked at her, somewhat miffed.

"Iz, come on. You don't want to associate with this _thing_," he said, gesturing to me as though I were gum on the sidewalk.

"I'll meet you in the broom closet later, Jared," she said, her voice sultry as she looked him. He smiled dazedly and walked into the dormitory, leaving us alone.

_Ugh, what a slut!_

"You bet I am, Mudblood. Now, what do you need?" she asked, her voice drawling as she looked at her hot pink nails.

"A friend of mine told me you were a powerful Enhancer. I need you to amplify my powers," I said simply and she raised an eyebrow.

"The famous Mudblood Newid, asking me to make her more powerful?" she laughed cruelly and I fought the urge to punch her, then and there.

"Well, I can't resist the opportunity, considering you're basically on your knees, begging for my help. But, I still don't see what _I _get out of this," she said sweetly and my ears turned red in anger.

"What do you want?" I asked her and she smiled malevolently.

"It's not a WHAT, as much as a WHO," she said evilly, and I looked at her.

_What a WHORE!_

"And proud to be one, Rattigan. However, he's currently unavailable, so you're going to help me," she said sweetly, a cruel smile on her face.

"How can I help you?" I said, confused. She tilted her head to one side and leaned down, placing a clawed finger under my chin and lifting it up.

"You're going to break up with him," she answered simply, and my heart fell. She wanted Evan.

"Do I make myself clear, or do I need to draw it out for your tiny Mudblood mind?" she asked, wiping her hand on the damp walls.

"Fine," I said bitterly, biting the inside of my cheek, and feeling the blood gush out profusely.

"Just meet me in front of the Great Hall, tomorrow," I told her and she shrugged, rolling her eyes.

"Remember what I said. If you don't break up with him, I can see to it that Aidan…well, I think you get the picture," she said, her lips opening in a wide smile. I stormed out, slamming the door behind me.

As soon as I found a deserted corridor, I collapsed, the tears pouring from my face. I didn't cry for myself, for losing Evan. I cried for Evan, whose heart I was going to have to break. I cried for Aidan, whose heart I had already broken. I cried for Aves, who would never move again, if not for a miracle. I cried for them, and my tears didn't want to stop anytime soon.

**A/N: Please don't yell at me! I promise that most of the things in this chapter will work themselves out! Most things, because Isabella is just a bitch! And a whore! But if I get THAT much negative feedback, I may change my mid about several decisions. So, aside from the tragedy, how'd I do? Please review, and don't give up on this story because of this chapter. I swear on my favorite characters (Cora, Aves, Amber, Lex and Alec) that it will get BETTER. I will go back to being happy-go-lucky, but everything was going too perfectly, if you know what I mean. Flames and hugs are welcome, although I have a feeling I may regret that. And I have to implore you guys- suggestions! If you guys don't like the path a character is taking, tell me! Tell me how you think of it, and 75% of the time, I shall oblige. But naturally, I must decline sometimes, or my story goes HAYWIRE! PM me with the suggestions please! I love you guys so much for the support, you guys are like my rock in the storm of the story! Here are the latest results:**

**1****st****: AverytheElf: 2pts (drawings of Alec, Aves)**

**Tied for second:**

**SkyeElf: 1.5 pts (lia's prologue, must read!)**

**Im-the-doctor: 1.5 pts (lex's prologue, must read)**

**3rd: clairwe: 1pt (lia drawing)**

**Tied for 4****th****:**

**Kariann-Chan, HideAmongTheAshes, weirdgiraffe, emcee31, Dr. Rae**

**Very impressive, any more takers? * puppy face ***

**Days until D-Day:13, the almighty unlucky number. At least its not Friday. Wait, no, Jason, NOOOOO! ;P**


	27. Love Heals

**A/N: First I need to say sorry for taking 2 days to write this. 'Cause from here on out, I have events planned on a month, not day/week basis. And that's bad! Anyways, thanks to you guys for showing such support for the characters. I'm sure that Aves is giving you guys many hugs, wherever she is (* cough, cough *) I'd like to add another character to my list of favorites: Lia. I idiotically forgot her last time, but she's so much like me with a potty mouth attached of course. I don't swear. As promised, a happy chapter, but one with some confusions, all placed purposefully of course. Since it's been a while since I posted my disclaimer, I'd like to take a moment to say that in all honesty, no one can mimic the awesomeness of JKR, so considering my story isn't a multi-billion dollar franchise, with my characters being played by awesome actors, it's safe to say that her characters and world are all hers. I claim nothing but my characters and paraxenes. Thanks to my loyal reviewers the Elves, im-the-doctor, HideAmongTheAshes and weirdgiraffe for reviewing, as well as my new reviewer Annika(cool name, * thinks thoughtfully*). You guys are fudging amazing for putting up with me. Without any further ado, I implore you to read and pay attention to the A/N at the bottom. This chapter is for my bro and my best friends(too many to list). **

**Suggested Soundtrack: How to Save a Life- The Fray(trust me)**

Lia's POV

The night was dark, with violent bouts of thunder and lightning. I could hear the wind whip open our windows, and I stood up from my bed to close them, placing a minor locking charm on the frames. Trudging back, I threw myself on the bed, looking at the pictures I had posted on every surface of the curtains. There was a picture of an unnaturally clean house, containing a fireplace, which bore various pictures of a chubby, pig-faced boy with blond hair. Next to that, I had drawn a small cupboard, under the stairs, where another family member lived. His bright green eyes, messy jet-black hair and telltale lightning scar had made it apparent who he was: Harry Potter, the boy whose parents I had seen murdered. My visions seemed to be centered around him, oddly enough, for I couldn't find why this poor, mistreated boy was of any significance. He radiated magical power, that much was true, but I still had no idea as to why he had lived. The snake-man's face still haunted my mind, but I saw more than that now.

My most recent vision had consisted of a quite amusing scene in which the impeccable house had been ravaged by letters, all inviting Harry to Hogwarts. I didn't understand why his aunt and uncle were so opposed to it; they hated the boy. But he was kind and lonely, and I wanted nothing more than to be able to communicate with him, to tell him he wasn't alone. However, I was just a bystander, and could do nothing as I watched him be abused by his vile Uncle and dreadful Cousin.

I closed the curtains around me and felt around for my wand. For some reason, I had always been quite proud of it: 12.5 inches, made of Black Ironwood and with an unusual core: Thestral Hair. It made for an unusual and temperamental wand, and the wandmaker nearly had a stroke when it chose me.

"_Lumos,"_ I whispered and the area around me illuminated brightly. Nervously, I arranged several sharp "crayons" (as Zach called my pencils) and my half-empty sketchpad in front of me. And then I took a deep breath, closing my eyes.

My essence was pulled out of me, and I felt as though I would die of suffocation before I landed on frigid, moist stone covered in a thick layer of dirt. I got up shakily, wiping my hands on my loose green pajama pants. The room was small and circular, smelling vaguely of the sea and damp wood. There was barely any light, except for the flashes of lightning coming from outside. With every crack of thunder, the cracked windows rattled precariously in fear of the sound. In the middle of the room, I spotted an old, moldy couch occupied by Dudley, Harry's pig of a cousin, his pink face drooping disgustingly as he drooled a puddle on the floor. He snorted, like the swine he was, and threw his arm down, revealing a watch from underneath his striped pajamas, which bulged dangerously over his protruding stomach. I felt a sudden urge to puke, but moved forward, walking around the couch as I heard the irregular breaths of someone else.

Harry was laying on the floor, separated from the stone by only a thin sheet. It was a frigidly cold night, but he only wore one of Dudley's old gray t-shirts that looked as though it had been puked on, and a pair of exceedingly loose pants tied to the extreme, just so that they could lay loosely across his thin stomach. He propped himself up on his thin elbows, and I was afraid of his bones shattering.

_God, Lia! Seriously? Why are you so protective?_

His hair fell over his crooked glasses and he gathered the dust from around him into a small pile in front of his body. Smoothing the dirt, he began drawing a low, wide cylinder with 11 straight lines on top. A cake. Smiling contently, he laid his head on his folded arms and stared at it, as though he were willing it to turn into a real cake. He looked so peaceful, and I crouched in front of him, concentrating my mind on the drawn cake. Lifting my finger slowly, I drew the words, "_Happy Birthday Harry"_ in wide, simple letters on the dirt. When I withdrew my finger, I was stunned to see that the change had actually registered; I had tried before and it never worked. I looked at him intently, and saw his vividly green eyes, so like his mothers, were watering, and a single tear rolled down his bony cheek. Despite his tears, his mouth broke into a wide grin and he inhaled deeply before blowing the dirt away, like one would on a birthday cake.

"Make a wish, Harry," he whispered to himself, and he looked straight into my eyes, rooting me to the spot. Of course, he couldn't see me, but his eyes held so much knowing that I could swear: he KNEW.

"Thanks Mum, Dad," he said to me, before looking towards the clock on Dudley's fat arm. It read 12:02, and he frowned, turning on his back to look at the ceiling.

"_Who are you?"_ he whispered, his voice soft, but curious. I turned to him, my heart pounding dangerously. Harry was so familiar, I felt like I KNEW him, but I didn't know why.

"I'm Lia. Lia Munroe," I answered, but he didn't react, and I saw him frown in disappointment. He probably hadn't heard me.

Suddenly, the door opened violently, crashing against the wall like a cannon shot. Harry and Dudley sat up, Dudley trembling like mad but Harry maintaining a cool and calm demeanor, slowly backing into the shadows. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon ran down the stairs, an old rifle in the pudgy man's hands. I laughed loudly as I spotted Petunia, her hair in curlers and copious amounts of foul-smelling cream on her face. Harry turned my way again, his head tilted before whirling his head towards the noise of the door. A large man entered, bending his head low so as not to hit his head on the doorframe, which was already taller than any doorframe I had ever seen.

His beard was wildly curly and he sported beyond frizzy shoulder-length hair. If I looked close, I spotted several nuts, leaves and twigs in the bramble of his beard. His coat was brown and worn, the many pockets bursting with contents, some even moving. As I gazed into his beetle-black eyes and saw the warmth, I recognized him. It was Hagrid.

He carried his pink umbrella in his left hand, and stepped inside, his heavy boots echoing across the floor. Vernon's face went purple and he pointed the gun at Hagrid, the vein in his temple throbbing violently.

"I demand that you leave at once! You are breaking and entering!" Vernon yelled, only to have Hagrid roll his eyes at him. He stepped closer to Vernon, until his head was level to the gun's barrel. I drew a sharp intake of breath and Harry looked where I was standing, his eyes wide with disbelief. Running his hands through his hair, I heard him mutter quietly to himself,

"You're going balmy, mate! There's no one standing there!" he whispered and I giggled at his frustration.

"Dry up, Dursley! Yeh great prune!" Hagrid exclaimed, bending the barrel of the gun upwards just as Vernon pulled the trigger, sending a bullet straight into the ceiling and leaving a gaping hole.

The scene began to speed up, just like pressing the fast-forward button on a DVD player. Finally, it stopped, with Hagrid standing in front of Harry, a wide grin on his face.

""Yer a wizard, Harry," he said, and Harry stepped back, the look on his face incredulous.

"I'm a what?" he asked, the doubt evident in his voice. I chuckled lightly, remembering Peter's reaction the first time he found out.

"A wizard, Harry," Hagrid repeated and the scene vanished in a plume of smoke, leaving me sitting breathless, back in my four-poster bed at Hogwarts. Shaking my head loose of the hectic thought, I grabbed the nearest pencil and began drawing again, pausing only once, to look at the picture right above my pillow.

It was the picture that I had drawn of Zach, that day on the plane. His hair was messed up and his eyes were staring at me widely, with an emotion I couldn't place. My heart thumped a deadbeat rhythm and I shook him out of my mind, focusing back down on my sketch. Yet even as the lead hit the paper, I swore I could feel his soft hand on my cheek and his full lips gently pressing against mine.

Cora's POV

_Why in the Merlin was I thinking?_

I stood in front of Snape's dungeon office, my fist poised to knock. The air was humid and smelled of potion ingredients, leaving my breath clogged in my throat.

"Enter," Sev's snide voice said from inside, and I could hear the implied eye-roll. I placed my hand on the doorknob and opened it gently, afraid to make any noise. Sev was sitting at his desk, his hair tied back for once, but still shining in the green light of the dungeon. His nose was bent over a cauldron, and he threw in some slivers of what I recognized to be Boomslang Skin into the brew before wiping his hands on his robes and staring at me, a sneer evident on his face. However, as the steam disappeared slightly, he recognized me and smiled-as much as he knew how anyways.

"Cora!" he exclaimed, rushing forward with his cloak billowing behind him.

_No wonder Lia called him Batman!_

"Professor," I said coldly, remembering his sentiments towards me after the Quidditch Game.

"Please, Cora, don't do this again. How many times do I have to tell you that it wasn't me?" he asked, exasperated and I chuckled darkly. Only in front of me did Sev ever let his guard down, showing how nice he could be. But it was only a façade; that much I knew.

"That's neither here nor there. I came to ask a question about my…abilities," I said sharply and he shook his head, wiping his oily face with a handkerchief.

"You would have made a remarkable Slytherin. Still, what is your inquiry?" he asked me, returning to the brew and stirring the stick lazily with his wand.

"How far would a powerful Enhancer's power's work on my abilities?" I asked him promptly, looking at a picture on the shelf. It showed a much younger Sev laughing with a redheaded girl, his arm around her shoulders. Suddenly, the picture snapped down, and I turned to see his face angry, and somewhat anxious at my discovery. The woman seemed so familiar, but why?

"An Enhancer is basically a conductor for your energy. They add their powers to your energy, so your powers are not exactly BETTER, but the effect is much more potent," Sev explained his arms crossed on his chest. I stared at him daringly, not blinking for a second.

"Why do you ask?" he inquired and I smirked as shallowly as I could, whipping my hair around as I exited the office.

"That's extraneous information, I'm afraid, Professor," I told him sweetly, and I heard him laughing before stepping out of the office, a book in his hand.

"Take this. It's more advanced than the textbook we use in class, and much more appropriate to your level," he told me and I grinned widely, feeling the battered cover of the _Advanced Potion Making_ textbook he had just handed me. I widened my eyes and stared at him, my face shocked.

"Professor, did you just hand me the Half-Blood Prince's Book?" I asked him and his smirk faded, being replaced by a stony look.

"Good day, Rattigan," he said curtly, before slamming the door in my face.

The corridor in front of the Great Hall was fairly empty, so I spotted Isabella easily, applying makeup while a bunch of Ravenclaw 2nd year boys looked at her like she was a goddess. Packing away her lip-gloss, she smacked her lips, before noticing the group and batting her eyelashes, sending them a kiss. I rolled my eyes at their reaction, and walked towards her, feeling ratty in my ripped jeans and simple red button-down shirt, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Isabella dressed like Lexi, looking as though she walked straight off a runway in the morning. Today, she had decided to wear a pair of short leather boots with tight leather leggings and an emerald green wool sweater on top.

"Rattigan," she said dismissively, in the manner of a greeting. I nodded wearily, doubts flying wild through my mind.

"So, what exactly is this thing that you must do so urgently, you would give up your boyfriend for it?" she asked me and I glared at her, my eyes ice-cold.

"You're going to help me heal a friend of mine," I said defiantly and she laughed, cold cruel peals of laughter.

"You want to fix CURSED wounds? I'm getting your boyfriend for free, Mudblood," she commented and I felt my heart stab in pain as I recalled the night before:

_The Gryffindor fire crackled merrily in the hearth, no doubt making fun of my throbbing heart. Amber and Ian were listening to music in a corner, Amber muttering to herself darkly at Ian's protests to her eccentric taste. Jack and Lex were nowhere to be seen, but they were probably still in the Great Hall, pigging out. I had no appetite though, so I walked over to the couch, where Evan was scratching his chin with his quill in confusion. He glanced up at me as my shadow blocked his light and grinned widely, pulling me down onto the couch roughly, tickling me. I laughed loudly, and threw him off of me with the help of a mental shield. _

"_Hey! No fair! Newid powers no fair!" he complained, sticking out his bottom lip. I laughed and placed a light kiss on his cheek, regretting it immediately. Why give him false hope? Pulling my legs up to my chest, I let my curls fall over my head, shielding my readable face._

"_Can you help me with this Potions shit? Snape is trying to kill my head, I swear," he complained, leaning his tall figure back. I nodded softly and looked over the essay quickly, pulling the book towards me and explaining the basics to him, all while rectifying his various spelling mistakes. He smiled at me as I fixed the essay, handing it back to him, as perfect as I could make it._

"_Best girlfriend ever," he sighed, placing his arm around my shoulder and pulling me close. Maybe, just maybe there was a loophole-no Cora! You mustn't think like that!_

"_Evan, stop. We need to talk," I told him seriously, and he mussed up his hair, before staring at me, his eyes serious._

"_Whatever you want, love," he said, blinking his long eyelashes slowly. I opened my mouth, but he placed a finger on it, shushing me gently._

"_If this is about Aidan, you don't need to tell me. I already know," he admitted and I stared at him open-mouthed. _

"_You knew all this time, and you stayed?" I asked, and he shrugged it off as though it was no big deal. The tears came down from my eyes and he wiped them off with his finger, gently stroking my hair. Without thinking, I leaned forward and placed my lips on his, ecstatic when he responded happily, his lips moving gently against mine. He wrapped his arms around me, and pulled me closer, tangling a hand in my curls, much gentler than Aidan had less than an hour ago. He nipped gently at my bottom lip and I weaved my hand through his hair, delighting in the scent that was HIM. Suddenly, I saw an image of myself in my Halloween costume, smiling radiantly at him. I could feel his love course through my body like venom, before he pulled away, releasing me from his vision. _

"_I love you," he whispered softly before leaning towards me again. But this time, I threw him back with a shield, my eyes panicked._

"_No, Evan. Don't say that," I begged him and he looked hurt, despite his continuous grin._

"_Come on, Rattigan! I thought guys were the ones with commitment issues. It's not like I asked you to marry me or anything," he said, trying to move closer, but being impeded by my shield._

"_Evan, please, listen to me!" I pleaded, and he sighed, before nodding and leaning back. I sat up straight and looked at him in the eye._

"_We need to break up," I said bluntly and he stared at me, taken aback._

"_Core, if this is about what I said, just ignore it. Core? Cora?" he asked me, staring at my shaking head._

"_I'm so sorry, Evan. It's not you, it's me. I'm screwed up," I said simply, standing up, but he grabbed my hand tightly, his eyes crazed._

"_Cora, please stay. I know I'm not HIM, but I'll try. Give me a chance," he begged, standing up to meet my eyes, and placing a gentle kiss on my trembling lips. I wanted to wake up from this nightmare, and just go back to the way things were. But I pushed him away and smiled at him sadly._

"_I know you Evan, you'll get over it. But I'd hate to lose you forever," I looked at him and he pulled back his hand violently, glaring spitefully._

"_You should've thought about that earlier, Rattigan. Piss off," he said grudgingly, gathering his things and storming out of the Common Room. I began to shake with sobs and nearly fell before I was caught by a pair of wiry, pale hands holding me close. Will stayed with me on the couch that night, letting me cry on his shoulder as long as I needed to, shielding my face from Evan's glares when he reentered the Common Room, like the brother I sadly never had. _

I blinked away my tears and glared at Isabella, putting as much hatred into my eyes as I could.

"Let's go, I don't have much time," Isabella said dismissively, blowing a huge bubble with some pink gum. We walked to the Hospital Wing together, Isabella walking slightly ahead of me. When we arrived, I opened the doors and she strutted in regally, turning her nose up in disgust at Alec, who was sitting by Aves, his hand in hers.

"Filthy Half-Breed," she hissed at Aves and he shot her a cold glare that stopped me in my tracks. I had never seen Alec that angry.

"Shh, Alec, it doesn't matter. Hey, Core! Why'd you bring Satan's Daughter for a visit?" Aves asked, a wide grin on her face attempting to hide her pain. The smile didn't reach her eyes though.

"I'd be respectful, McGee. I'm here to save your life," Isabella said snottily and Aves snorted derisively.

"I'd rather drown naked in a sewer than have my life saved by you, Carmicheal," Aves retorted and Isabella narrowed her eyes dangerously.

"You're lucky your friend her cut me a deal, Half-Breed, or I'd save the world from seeing your ugly mug ever again," Isabella said arrogantly, only to find her brother's wand at her throat.

"Shut the fuck up, Iz. Just get this the fuck over with and fuck off, won't you?" he swore and she smiled devilishly, her eyes focusing in on him before settling on Aves.

"Get to it, Rattigan. I don't have all day," she said, looking at her nails. Tying up my hair, I stood in front of Aves' head and felt my eyes go blank as I steadied myself in front of her.

"Alec, can you cast a Silencing Charm on Madam Pomfrey's door? What I'm doing isn't exactly kosher," I said and he obeyed, but Aves stared at me quizzically.

"Okay, first of all. Since when is Madam Pomfrey Jewish? Secondly, what are you doing?" Aves asked and I shushed her, placing my hands above her body.

Slowly, my hands began to glow and I felt her muscles paralyze because of the venom. I stopped, taking a deep breath and looked Aves in the eye.

"I can help you, Aves, but I'm not strong enough. Isabella is here to Enhance my powers, so I can cure you," I explained and Aves looked at me, her eyes screaming in worry.

"The venom has to go out somewhere, so I'm just going make a really shallow cut on your arm, okay? That I can fix easily," I finished and she nodded, hope finally in her emerald eyes.

Gently, I took the scissors from the side of her bed and bent down to cut her arm. My hands were shaking nervously and Isabella rolled her eyes, before seizing the scissors and dragging them across Aves' porcelain skin, leaving a deep gash.

Quickly, I focused again and felt the poison in her body react somewhat to my will.

"Now, Carmicheal," I ordered Isabella and I saw her translucent eyes widen as the power grew in my hands. The venom now responded to my every twitch and I guided it out of her body, trying my best to ignore Aves' agonizing screams. Alec sat by her and held her hand, his hand stroking her hair softly.

I saw Aves' body light up, as the venom coursing in her veins turned a bright white, allowing me to move it out easier. The wounds weren't giving in easily though, they fed on my energy like a ravenous Hippogriff.

"Can't you do any better, Carmicheal?" I gasped, feeling beyond exhausted. She glared at me and placed her hands in front of her, mimicking pushing an invisible wall. Moving a hand above Aves' body, I gathered the poison in one place before leaking it all out of her system at once. Aves' screamed, a bloodcurdling shriek, before curling up into a ball, her hands wrapped around her knees. I felt the light around me grow even brighter and watched as every wound on Aves' body disappeared as well as her scars, save for a small moon-shaped one on her shoulder. I collapsed on the bed behind me gasping heavily for the air around me. Isabella, however, fixed her hair snottily and shot me a look before sauntering out, her boots clicking behind her. Aves sat up slowly lifting her hand in front of her face, moving her fingers individually.

Smiling at her sweetly, Alec stood up in front of her and offered his hand, to which she jumped out and into his arms. He spun her around and then set her down, allowing her to regain her footing. Apparently the charm had broken, because Madam Pomfrey ran out, before gasping softly at Aves walking up and down the wing, being supported by Alec on her shaky legs.

She walked over to me, leaning against Alec for support and looked me in the eye.

"Thank you so much, Core. You didn't have to do this, but thank you. You're a miracle worker, you know that?" she said softly, placing a tiny hand on my cheek. I nodded slowly, and leaned back, trying to fight the bout of nausea that had overtaken me. The medi-witch seemed to notice, because she bumbled over, happy tears streaming down her face.

"It's a miracle!" she exclaimed and I turned green, hurling myself out of bed and puking on her shoes. But Madam Pomfrey just laughed and cleaned them off, giving me a Pepper-Up Potion to feel better.

Smiling kindly at Aves, who seemed to be beyond happy as she walked with Alec by her side, I exited the Hospital Wing, determined to see someone. I climbed the stairs to the highest tower and stared at the trapdoor, before turning around and walking straight into her.

"Well, my dear. It seems that you have a lot on your mind. Let us go upstairs and have some tea," Jo said, guiding me up the ladder, a dazed smile on her face.

**A/N: How'd I do? Yay for Aves/Alec-she's not paralyzed, but I swear I cried while writing the flashback. Evan was….too perfect. Unfortunately. But with Christmas, comes many interesting things :/. I have posted a new poll, which has a lot to do with the next chapter, so I am literally on my knees-please vote after you review. It is as bloody urgent as Snape needing shampoo. How can you guys deny that? And I need to know what you guys think about Lia's visions? Why is she having them? And how come Harry can hear her? Now for an awesome Hippie-Seer chapter-this will be sooo fun! I love having new reviewers, I'm like Bellatrix- I need fresh meat. Kidding, but please leave a review, flaming or cuddling, I don't mind, never have and never will. Probably because I've never received a negative review to date, but there's always room for a first. I'm really hoping for some last minute entries to spice up the race, which is turning boring with AverytheElf always in lead, because you guys are so bloody close. Hell, you guys can do a story on the most random of people! Here are the latest results:**

**1****st****: AverytheElf: 2pts (drawings of Alec, Aves)**

**Tied for second:**

**SkyeElf: 1.5 pts (lia's prologue, must read!)**

**Im-the-doctor: 1.5 pts (lex's prologue, must read)**

**3rd: clairwe: 1pt (lia drawing)**

**Tied for 4****th****:**

**Kariann-Chan, HideAmongTheAshes, weirdgiraffe, emcee31, Dr. Rae**

**Let's spice things up a bit! Summer Newid spirit (or if you're below the equator Winter Newid Spirit!)**

**Days until D-Day: 11, the repetitive lucky number. **


	28. Prophecy

**A/N: Hey! As promised, a Hippie chapter, though with a little Lia/Aidan thrown in. This was beyond fun to write, but if you spot any spelling errors, I apologize deeply. It took a while to write, but that was because words wanted to give me a hard time today. In any case, I'd like to thank SkyeElf and weirdgiraffe for reviewing! This chapter is for Skye and my dad. I really like this chapter so without any further ado: Chapter 28.**

Aidan's POV

_You're such a bloody idiot, Aidan. How could you have done that to her?_

I shook my head in shame as I sat in the library, my Potions essay in front of me. Intense remorse gripped my heart as I remembered the look on her face as she pointed her wand towards me threateningly, her eyes fuming. Even now, I had no idea why in the name of Merlin I'd kissed her. It was true that I loved her, but Lia had become an anesthetic of sorts, blocking out any thoughts of Cora. She wasn't the same, and she most definitely was hiding something from me, but I was happy. At least, that's what I had told myself.

Shaking my head violently, I pulled my potions book out of my bag and opened to the page on porcupine quills, reading through the properties. I snapped the book shut after several minutes of useless skimming: I didn't understand potions. Or, more likely, Snape was determined to make me fail by not telling me anything. Gathering my things, I exited the library and headed towards the Slytherin Common Room, hoping to catch Lia, who had an unnatural knack in Potions, despite the fact that Snape hated her with a burning passion for calling him, "Batman."

I descended down to the third floor corridors and into the Charms corridor when I heard the scuffling of feet behind me. Gripping my wand tightly, I turned around, only to find myself pinned against the stone wall by Evan Griffiths, Cora's boyfriend.

"Aidan Vestey, isn't it?" he spat at me, holding his wand to my jaw threateningly.

"What do want, Griffiths?" I asked him and he backed away, twirling my wand in his fingers.

"Right now? I would love to beat the living daylights out of you. But considering my Gryffindor disposition-" he started and I interrupted him, my smart mouth bursting with laughter.

"You mean the fact that you're afraid to take on a first year even without a wand?" I asked him and he sneered darkly, a sneer that would've made Snape cry out in pride. He threw me my wand and I caught it in my hand, dropping my bag onto the ground.

"This is for Cora, Vestey! I'm sure you've seen a Wizard's Duel?" he asked me, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"I'm a Vestey, Griffiths. Even a Mudblood like you knows of my family," I snapped back and he raised an eyebrow.

"Fuck off. I challenge you to a duel, Vestey. Unless you're too proud to fight me, of course," he said challengingly and I smiled innocently, stepping forward.

"We can't duel without seconds," I said, recalling our last Defense against the Dark Arts lesson. He shrugged and stepped forward, raising his wand to his face and bowing deeply. I did the same and we turned our backs to each other, walking five steps away before whirling to each other. Evan's eyes were focused intently and he began walking in a circle, waiting for me to make the first move.

"_Stupefy!" _he yelled and I rolled out of the way. Cursing myself, I got up, trying to remember the Shield Charm that Prof. Andersonn had taught us.

"_Petrificus Totalus!"_I yelled at him and he deflected it with a flick of his wand. He seemed to be a good duelist: most people couldn't do nonverbals until 4th year.

"What's the matter, Vestey? Afraid of the Mudblood?" he taunted and I felt my anger rage to the bursting point. I had read books on non-verbal spells, and I knew the theory, it was only a matter of applying it.

"_Rictusempra!"_

"_Protego!"_

"_Expelliarmus!" _he yelled finally and my wand flew out of my hand and onto the ground, five feet away.

"What now, Vestey? No wand, and no protection. I think the slug vomit treatment is in order," he said snidely aiming his wand. I focused on my wand, and it flew back into my hand, allowing me to point it at an unsuspecting Evan.

"_Impedimenta!"_ I yelled and he flew back, hitting his head against the wall. The noise echoed around the hallway and a very frazzled Professor Raynor ran out of his office, his wand held aloft.

"Mister Vestey, may I ask what is the meaning of this?" he walked towards Evan, who had been knocked unconscious.

"He challenged me to a duel. His fault," I said simply and the Charms professor stood up, his balding head shaking slightly.

"It's just as much your fault for agreeing. Detention, Mr. Vestey on Saturday at 7," he told me simply, waving me away. I rolled my eyes: he sounded so much like Lia when she got angry.

Picking up my bag, I left the corridor and climbed down the stairs to the Slytherin Common Room, placing my hand on the damp stone.

"Virtus Omnia," I said and the wall melted away, revealing the green and silver decorations of my beloved Common Room. I collapsed on the couch and stared deep into the flames. Again, I had used my family name as an excuse.

I was proud of being a Slytherin, but not because of prejudice. Slytherins were cunning and resourceful, we could get out of Azkaban with nothing but a moldy piece of bread if we were determined enough. My family could trace back our blood all the way to Fiderico, the cunning husband of Cassandra. They were proud of it, but I hated my heritage. Fiderico had been a cruel wizard, one of the worst in my personal opinion. But I hid my views from my family, scared spineless because of my father. Ever since I was small, he had ingrained the prejudice into my head, and it showed. Yet, I had never understood it, and the idea remained in my head, not in my heart. Muggles fascinated me, but not in an obsessive manner. I was simply baffled at their eloquent ways, despite their lack of magic. Their magic was deeper than ours, more subdued, yet unique. In a way, I hated my family, but they were my flesh and blood. That was a bond I could not bear to break, and I had no one else.

Glancing at my bag, I remembered my essay, and stood up grudgingly, walking to the girls' dormitory. I opened the door with my mind and dove into the room, throwing my bag in first. The charm only applied to the stairs and I could avoid it by not touching the ground. Lia was laying on her bed, her eyes closed tightly. Suddenly, she threw her eyes open and gasped, before snatching her sketchpad in her arms. Obviously, she hadn't noticed my presence, so I emptied my head of thought and vanished from sight, turning invisible.

I stepped forward stealthily, not making any noise. At the sight of her four-poster, I gasped mutely. Every surface was covered with a picture, all seeming to revolve around a young, scrawny boy with a lightning scar on his face. That is, except for one posted righted above her pillow, of a tanned boy around our age with dark hair, and long eyelashes. His lips were full and his eyes wide with adoration, and the jealousy inside me built up, as I saw my hands reappear in front of my face.

"Aidan? What are you doing here?" Lia asked, jumping out of her bed, and closing the curtains with her wand. She looked extremely tired, the circles under her eyes more evident that ever. Her lithe fingers were coated with a layer of graphite lead from her pencils and she wore her hair up in a loose ponytail, something she had never done before.

"I was going to come and ask for Potions help, but you seemed a bit too busy sketching guys to notice," I said, the jealousy in my voice almost acidic. Sighing sadly, she sat down in the small glass nook by her bed, looking at the green water of the Black Lake. It seemed quite oxymoronic, but I shook the thought away.

"How can I explain, Aidan? It's quite a long story," she whispered quietly, running a thin hand through over her hair, in a failed attempt to get tame the frizz.

"I've got time," I answered simply and she smiled, patting the ground next to her, her eyes not meeting mine.

"Who do want to hear about first?" she asked me and I went with the logical one.

"The little kid with the lightning. You draw him a lot," I replied and she nodded thoughtfully, a light smile crossing her lips.

"Ever since I came here, I've started to have these…visions when I close my eyes. That's why I look like a fucking zombie with these circles under my eyes. I haven't slept properly for ages," she explained and I could feel my mind telling me to move away from her. One look into her sad eyes, though, and I was rooted to the spot.

"So you dream about him," I said, the jealousy still evident. Biting her thin bottom lip, she turned her eyes to me and stood, pulling a picture from a curtain. Handing it to me, I looked at it and noticed a picture of a strange creature that looked like a mutation between a man and a snake. It was the most terrifying image I had ever seen in my life and I quickly gave it back to her, who simply sighed at the image and posted it back up.

"That was Voldemort. My very first vision was of him killing Harry's parents in front of him when he was a little kid. All I could do was stand by, helpless as he shot them down with green light. He tried to kill Harry too, but the curse rebounded, leaving him with that scar. Since then, I've seen visions of him growing up, with his awful aunt and uncle, but I still don't understand WHY. I don't know why I have these visions, but it's for a reason. Somehow, I can communicate with him now-he hears me talking. I haven't told anyone except for you…and Cora. She found out by accident," she admitted, pulling her knees to her chest. The iciness in my chest thawed and I placed my arm around her small shoulders. I had never seen her so vulnerable, so weak. Lia was always so strong and independent; she refused to rely on anyone.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, Aidan. But this isn't meant to happen, not even in our world. I was afraid you'd leave," she said softly, looking off absently.

"You? Afraid? That's not a word in your dictionary," I joked and she snorted. I could feel her laughing under me and I bit my lip anxiously, not knowing whether I should continue my interrogation.

"I suppose you want to know who the other guy was," she sighed gently, looking at me with her green eyes. They were defiant and reminded me of a picture of hers, depicting Harry. I shook the though out of my head and shrugged slightly, showing her it didn't matter.

"That was Zach Huber, a friend of mine from South Africa," she began, staring out into the lake again.

"It doesn't matter to me, Lia," I objected but she shook her head and pulled the rubber band out of her hair, letting a dark curtain come over her face.

"No, it's time you knew. I may be a Slytherin, but secrets eat me from the inside," she admitted and I stared at her oddly. Slytherins were known for self-preservation.

"Zach and I had been friends for a while; we were the freaks of the school. In South Africa, paraxenes are quite rare, and we were tormented for it. So we stuck together, he was a paraxene too. But he was always flirting with me, in his kind of arrogant-bastard way. I told myself I didn't care, but my heart never thinks. So I did something incredibly stupid," she began, kneading her hands nervously in front of her. I stayed silent and she continued, still looking at the lake.

"He was my escort to England, and he insulted me, as usual. It happened a lot, but this time he insulted my drawing. Drawing is my anchor, how I communicate best, and he called it childish," she told me and I felt my fists clench in anger. She noticed this and smiled lightly, placing her fragile hands on mine.

"I fled, running to another seat on the plane, but he followed. He apologized, admitting that I had been right, with his eyes wide, conveying an emotion I couldn't read. I drew him like that," she explained, gesturing a thin arm to the picture above her bed. I winced at the softness in her voice as she talked about him. Surely, she didn't talk about me like that, but why did I care?

"And then I did something beyond idiotic. I kissed him," she whispered, and I whirled around at her. She refused to look at me, and curled up against the glass, her body shivering at the cold feel of the glass.

"I keep trying to tell myself it was a mistake, that I wasn't thinking straight, but I had never thought clearer. And when I met you – well, how do I say this - you're twins in terms of demeanor. You don't show your arrogance as much, at least not with me, but it's eerie how similar you are," she commented, placing a skeletal hand on my cheek. I felt my face grow hot as she glanced at me, her eyes vulnerable.

"So you're using me," I stated bluntly, and she recoiled her hand, the walls descending around her face again as she stood up angrily. Suddenly, I was flying back, and she held me back against the wall with a powerful shield.

"You're one to judge, Aidan. Do I look blind to you? I've seen the way you look at Cora all the time, and I never minded, I never cared. I understood, because I just happened to feel the same. You're so bloody selfish, you asshole! It doesn't matter when you use ME, but all of a sudden, when I use YOU, it's a whole different story! You vokken hypocrite! Leave me the vok alone," she shrieked, pointing at the door. I didn't move a muscle. Instead, I stepped forward and cupped her pale face. She didn't pull away, just stared at me blankly, her eyes still stony.

"You're the strangest girl I've ever met," I said simply and her eyes softened for a second.

"Thank you. I've been kidding myself, and so have you. Please just leave," she said again and I shook my head, a smirk crossing my face.

"If I told you something, will you promise not to kill me?" I asked her and she bit her lip, a sneer crossing her pale lips.

"No," she replied, her eyes defiant. I chuckled and shrugged.

"I guess that's the best I'll get," I commented and she glared, not bothering to hide the fact that she was furious.

"You have 10 seconds, Aidan, before I pin you against that wall and start screaming again," she threatened and I raised my hands in surrender.

"I kissed her. Cora, I mean," I admitted and her eyes stared back impassively.

"Okay," she said simply and I raised an eyebrow. _No threatening, no killer shield?_ She rolled her eyes and began pacing manically.

"Aidan, in a way, you have to admit that we're perfect for each other. And even though I still think of Zach, I've learned to love you too. We both need, dare I say it, someone to lean on. I overreacted, but so did you. Let's just call it even, because I need you. I'm not strong, just scary as hell. Please," she pleaded and I pulled her close, letting her head rest against my chest.

"I need you too, Lia. Shit, some Slytherins we are, eh?" I commented and she glanced at me oddly.

"We're manipulating our own emotions into falling for someone else. That's pretty damn Slytherin, if you ask me," she said softly, and sighed, glancing back at Zach's picture on her bed. Her eyes were wide with pain and she looked away, shaking her head.

"You should go to Dumbledore or someone, Lia. We all need our sleep. I've never heard of this happening before, but they'll understand? How bad could it be?" I told her and she nodded against my chest.

"And Lia?" I asked, my voice nervous.

"Yes, Aidan?" she replied, pulling away from me, an annoyed smirk on her face.

"I desperately need your Potions genius for this essay, or I'll fail," I admitted and she chuckled lightly, gesturing for me to follow her out the door.

"Come on, nitwit."

Cora's POV

The carpeted room smelled like Sandalwood, Sage and Lavender, an intoxicating mix that threatened to suffocate me. Jo, however, breathed it in deeply and motioned to a plush pillow on the ground for me to sit on. Looking around, I noticed that the walls of the room had been covered with ivy and that the ground underneath the carpets was made of grass. She sat in front of me, cross-legged, and threw back her hair. I noticed it fell to her waist, each straw-blond curl defined. Her grey eyes were blank, but they stared somewhat in my direction. Today, she was wearing a long yellow skirt and a loose brown shirt with a gray leather vest. Her Companion, Mae, brushed up against me and I pet her absentmindedly as Jo poured the tea with her wand, adding about 5 sugars to her small cup.

"So, why have you come to see me?" she asked me softly and I sighed, breathing in the calming incense.

"I needed to talk to someone," I answered and she smiled, holding out her hand.

"Let me see child," she said softly, and as soon as I touched her, her eyes went white and she trembled furiously. Finally, she stopped and looked at me, a sympathetic look on her face.

"My dear, fate is not something we can control. Neither is love, as I'm sure you know," she said wisely and I shook my head.

"Jo, that night when I almost died, the last image I can remember seeing before that snake ate me was Aidan. But he was dead. Am I doing the right thing here, hating him so much?" I asked her and Jo stared off, biting her plump lower lip.

"Cora, the future is never set in stone, but it is hard to change it. You may wind up bringing the future upon yourself. I will not say that what you did in the hospital wing was foolish, for it was indeed noble. But you reacted on impulse, and whether you feel it or not, you nearly died up there," Jo told me, and I sighed. _That DEFINITELY helps!_

"Making yourself miserable doesn't help either. You Newids are natural masochists; you think that you have no right to be happy. That's not true, Cora," she tried to tell me and I ran my hands through my hair.

"Jo, you saw EVERYTHING. He hurt Will, and basically ruined me because of it," I objected and she stood up, her face suddenly angry. She reminded me of Cassandra even more, and I could feel her energy radiating dangerously.

"Cora, you have taken a huge responsibility. As a Newid, you are the most powerful being in the universe. There is so much good you can do, but you sit here moping about such insignificant things. That night in Dumbledore's office, I told Albus, despite my better judgement, that he could trust giving you a break. Now you are complaining about such trivial things as boys and petty rivalries! In this time, your powers have multiplied exponentially, but the only worthwhile thing you have done is heal your best friend! You stubborn Gryffindors, you're all alike! Never thinking about anything, never looking at the Greater Good!" she shrieked and my rage flared up instantly, making me stand up, the tea on the table boiling in my anger.

"How dare you? You may be Joanne Rowling, the descendant of Cassandra Rowling, but you have no right to talk to me as such. You don't think I know how petty my worries are? Try having the weight of the fucking world being dumped on you at the age of 13! Supposedly, I control everything, right? I can't even control my emotions! Look at me, Jo! I'm weak; I'm pathetic! But even though I'm piteous, I have made my choice. I am the ONE, and I'm not going to give up. Show me some respect!" I yelled and she smiled widely, her eyes flashing with a kind of cunning. Mae mewed softly and climbed onto my lap, licking my hand silkily.

"Yes, yes you are, Cora. You are the One, not because of your powers, but because of your ability to care, to love. Your heart is bigger than you can imagine, and that may be your greatest weakness, but it is also your greatest strength. You are the One because you are doing this for the ones you love. Whenever someone treats you wrong, I want you to remember that," she told me and I nodded, tears in my eyes.

"Jo, you still haven't quite told me what it means. The fact that I'm the One," I said and she shook her head, Mae purring contently on my lap.

"I'm afraid I don't know myself very well. However, there are things in this world that are about to happen, things too horrible to mention. I cannot tell you how to solve the upcoming events, but you are going to lead the righteous. Whether or not we win, that is an entirely different story. Our entire world, as we know it, is about to come to an end. And the One is our savior, our beacon of hope," she explained and I gulped audibly, my Adam's apple protruding nervously out of my neck.

"That's not intimidating, not at all," I commented and she threw back her head, laughing loudly. When she laughed, her eyes sparkled happily and her face shone like the sun. No wonder Dumbledore looked at her the way he did, but she looked like she was only about 30, whereas he, well, at least he was young at heart.

"Jo, thank you," I told her as I stood up and walked over to hug her. However, as soon as my hand touched her shoulder, her eyes went blank again and she stared at me, her eyes shining eerily out of their sockets. The embers of her incense died out and the smoke rose, enveloping us in a dense bubble.

"_The time for our end is drawing near_

_Withal our savior comes to light_

_Begotten to he who is malefic as Fiderico_

_And she who is virtuous as Cassandra_

_The worlds shall converge_

_As the bounds of magic are broken_

_By avarice and lust for power_

_Her love shall be her downfall_

_For she knows not the power she holds _

_The child shall hurt who she tries to protect_

_But ignore the signs, _

_To save and ruin in the end," _Jo gasped, her voice suddenly regal and true. I recognized the voice easily: it was the voice of her ancestor, Cassandra Rowling.

Mae hissed and bit my arm, leaving me to pull away my hand. Jo fell on the ground and began convulsing, choking on her spit. Her hair flared around her and her beauteous features were contorted in torment. The fire in the hearth roared and I spotted a pot of green powder on the table. Staying by her side, I mentally levitated a handful of powder into the fire, stunned as the flames turned a bright green. I stood up and dragged her in by the shoulders, trying to keep hold of her jerking body.

"Dumbledore's Study!" I yelled as I entered the fire and I felt us disappear from her office, being sucked into the fire's power. My hands began slipping and I felt a push from behind, throwing me out of the fire and onto a red carpet. A flash of silver, and the world disappeared from view.

**A/N: How'd I do? Was the prophecy terrible? And what about Lia and Aidan- I spent hours rewriting that scene and I'm still not terribly satisfied. We have a new post for the challenge by the ever-loyal SkyeElf: a story of Lia and Zach. It's honestly amazing, and gives so much depth to Lia, you must read it. Considering the role Lia's about to receive, it's for the best that you guys read and review both the prologues. Please review! Hugs and flames are welcome, as well as any theories or suggestions. Those are the best type of reviews-and they prove for better chapters! Here are the latest standings:**

**1****st****: SkyeElf: 3pts (2 prologues of Lia, very important)**

**2****nd****:AverytheElf: 2 pts (alec/aves drawings, awesome)**

**3****rd****:Im-the-doctor: 1.5 pts (lex's prologue, must read)**

**4th: clairwe: 1pt (lia drawing)**

**Tied for 5****th****:**

**Kariann-Chan, HideAmongTheAshes, weirdgiraffe, emcee31, Dr. Rae**

**Congrats to SkyeElf for her advancement, but are you guys going take that beating? No you won't- so get to work!**

**Days until D-Day: 2x5 or 10, Adrian Monk's favorite number. **


	29. The Truth

**A/N: Hello to all! I apologize for the delay, but I had several kinks to work out and lots of research to do. In any case, I'd like to take a moment to thank you guys again for the amazing support. I can't believe the feedback you guys have given me, it's so kind of you! Thanks to SkyeElf, weirdgiraffe and HideAmongTheAshes for reviewing. Alas, it seems my days of 4 reviews are gone, JK! This chapter is fairly huge, with a bit of Albus/Jo. I couldn't resist, I'm sorry. It's too adorable, seeing Dumbledore stutter like that. Some big revelations as well, so get ready! This chapter is for the best English teacher ever, Mrs. Kerelejza, and my little bro!**

Dumbledore's POV  
>I had been reading when I heard a loud noise originating from my fireplace. Turning around, I noticed Cora falling out of the green flames and onto the ground, a convulsing Jo in her thin arms. Jo's face was contorted in agony and I rushed over, lifting her onto the loveseat. Cora had hit her head on the stone of my floor and was unconscious, muttering a name in her sleep.<p>

Finally, Jo's body went limp, and she curled into a tight ball on the purple cushions. Mae appeared by her side and rubbed my leg affectionately, ignoring my death-glare. I hated cats, especially Companions. Companions could read the minds of humans, and I did not want anyone knowing about my feeling for Jo. As I stared at the beautiful Seer, I felt my heart tighten in misery. She didn't feel the same way, I could read minds after all, but hope never hurt anyone.

Suddenly, Cora stirred and sat up, her eyes wide as she looked at me.

"Professor! Is she okay?" she asked me, rushing to Jo's side. Her hair was disheveled and her eyes tired, but filled with tears.

"My dear, may I ask what happened?" I inquired and she sat on the armchair, pulling her knees to her chest.

"One minute, we were arguing, and the next, I wanted to hug her, but when I touched her-she seized up and," she started crying, the sobs rattling her body.

"I'd like to extract the memory. Do I have your permission?" I asked and she nodded, before I placed my wand at her temple and drew out a sliver of silver substance, containing the memory. She shuddered, but followed me as I dropped the memory into my Pensieve. Breathing deep, I sunk my head into the liquid and a hand pulled me in, dropping me in the midst of the scene.

We were in Jo's classroom, and Cora's face was red with anger. But she smiled and stepped over the chair to hug her Seer. As soon as she touched her, however, Jo seized up and her eyes began shining out of her eyes as she gasped loudly,

"_The time for our end is drawing near_

_Withal our savior comes to light_

_Begotten to he who is malefic as Fiderico_

_And she who is virtuous as Cassandra_

_The worlds shall converge_

_As the bounds of magic are broken_

_By avarice and lust for power_

_Her love shall be her downfall_

_For she knows not the power she holds _

_The child shall hurt who she tries to protect_

_But ignore the signs, _

_To save and ruin in the end."_

The scene dissipated and I withdrew my head, staring at Cora, who was trembling with fear.

"Sir, what does it mean? Was that a prophecy?" she asked, her voice shaky and unsure. Placing my hands on her shoulders, I led her to a chair and placed a bar of chocolate in front of her, instructing her to eat. Meanwhile, I pulled out my wand and conjured a crystal ball, in which I placed Cora's memory of the prophecy. Immediately, a tag appeared on the foot of the shining ball reading, "J.K.R to C.A.R- Cora Rattigan and-"

There the tag cut off, not revealing whom the prophecy concerned. I swore internally, but Fawkes cawed softly and I turned to see a shell-shocked Cora pet him gently.

"My dear, that was indeed a prophecy," I told her and she nodded, a light chuckle escaping her lips.

"I guessed as much, Sir. You know, from the creepy voice and glowing eyes," she smiled and I felt the corners of my mouth tug a little bit in mirth. But then I remembered the prophecy and frowned, glancing nervously at Jo, who still hadn't awoken.

"If you wish, Sir, I can leave you two alone," Cora asked, and I whirled around, to see a mischievous smirk on her face. Her eyes glinted with a kind of coyness, and I shook my head.

"No-I mean," I stuttered and she giggled, petting Mae contently.

"It's all right, sir. I should probably warn my friends about the apocalypse anyway," she said, suddenly stiffing. She collapsed on the ground, and the tears fell again. I could hear her swearing at herself, for being weak, for letting herself cry.

"Showing emotion does not make you weak, my child," I assured her and she looked at me, her doe-like eyes wide. Thank god Severus wasn't here!

"You heard the prophecy. Apparently my love will be the death of me, and I'll ruin in the end. It's hopeless," she said, shaking her head mournfully. I sat down next to her, and Mae curled up at my feet, her tail hugging my ankles.

"I knew someone who said that once, and he saved the world. Don't ever lose hope," I patted her back and she shook her head violently.

"How am I supposed to remain hopeful if those I protect will get hurt? Sir, with all due respect, haven't you noticed that I protect EVERYONE? And I'll be stupid enough to ignore that, to save something, but ultimately ruin," she objected, her eyes going black in anger. How she reminded me of him, just as stubborn, just as self-assured! Just as loving…

"Cora, you may be misinterpreting the prophecy. Don't shape your decisions upon the visions of another, it shall bring great destruction. This story will end the way you choose it to, your destiny is YOURS, and no one else's!" I urged her and she smiled silently, breaking another piece of chocolate.

"Jo said that too. And I made a choice, there's no going back. No one will die, not for my sorry soul," she said determinedly, nibbling on the chocolate before running over to the loveseat, where Jo had sat up silently.

"Albus?" Jo muttered, her hands moving blindly around her. I rushed to her side, and she smiled, clutching my hand tightly in hers.

"What happened? I don't remember anything," she asked, turning to Cora, who glanced at me in worry. I nodded my head and stared at Jo. Her grey eyes were wide and blank, yet they glared at me trustingly, a shadow of a smile on her thin lips.

"You Saw, Jo. We have the next Great Prophecy," I said, my voice downcast. Jo gasped and wrapped her arms tightly around me. She smelled of jasmine and lemongrass, and we remained close before Mae hissed at me, crawling in between us. Cora seemed very interested in a stray thread on her shirt and was looking away, though her eyes were twinkling brightly. Jo's face had flushed, and was slightly pink as she bit her bottom lip.

"What is the Prophecy?" Jo asked, standing grandly from the loveseat. She was carrying herself like a true daughter of Cassandra and I smiled in awe at her grace. Cora handed her the crystal ball, and Jo gazed deep into it, her eyes widening in shock.

"Albus, do you know what this means?" she asked, her voice afraid. I nodded to myself, scratching my beard.

"What are you guys talking about? I demand to know, please!" Cora pleaded and I turned to her, my voice weary.

"I am not the one to explain this, and neither is Jo. I shall send for Severus," I said, turning to Fawkes, who bowed his head, before vanishing in a bright flame.

Lia's POV

(occurs while Cora is in Dumbledore's office)

The Defense against the Dark Arts corridor was empty and dark, lit only by the torches on the walls. I was out past curfew, and I knew being caught would mean detention, but I had to see her. She was the only teacher I even minutely trusted, though I did not know why.

My wand was in my hand and my sketchpad tucked into my bag, which I had slung over my shoulders. The paintings groaned in protest as they saw the light emanating from my wand, waking them from their slumber. Finally, I reached the door and knocked three times.

The door swung open, to reveal a tired Professor Andersonn, who was dressed in a pair of plaid pajama pants and a Holyhead Harpies t-shirt. Her golden hair was tied messily on her head, and her usually sharp brown eyes were soft and dazed.

"Ms. Munroe, may I ask what you are doing here past curfew? I could give you detention for this," she told me, running a thin hand through her hair.

"You may give me a detention, Professor, but I have to talk to you. And it cannot wait, not any longer," I pleaded and she sighed, gesturing for me to come in. I noticed that her desk bore several empty butterbeer bottles as well as a big bag of orange puffs.

"Please, have a seat," she instructed, and I sat down, pulling my sketchpad out of my bag.

"Ma'am-" I started, but she cut me off, and looked me in the eyes.

"Lia, before we talk, I must tell you something. As a Gryffindor myself, I have a deep hatred for any Slytherin. There is more than a House rivalry between Slytherins and me, yet you have become my favorite student. In the future, you are allowed to come to me in any situation, whether it is for the smallest of things or not. However, I implore you to learn a proper charm for Disillusionment. It shouldn't be hard for someone as advanced as you are," she said, smiling warmly. Her voice reminded me of my mother's and I smiled in return, waving back my hair.

"Butterbeer?" she asked, handing me a bottle. I nodded my head excitedly: the stuff tasted beyond delicious.

"So, what do you need to talk about?" she inquired after a while, leaning back on her chair.

"Ma'am-" I began again but her hand interrupted me again and I rolled my eyes in exasperation. She chuckled lightly.

"Please, Lia, call me Jess. Don't bother with that Professor crap," she said and my eyes went as wide as Galleons.

"Jess, is it normal for people in the wizarding world to have visions?" I asked innocently and she shot me an odd glance before taking a deep swig of Butterbeer.

"Certain Paraxenes have the ability to see visions of another's past, as well as plant images in someone's mind, but besides a Seer, no one can look into the future," she told me, leaning forward to lean on her elbows. Her gaze looked sharply into the fire and she began fiddling with a ring on her necklace. I looked closer, and noticed that it was a made of thin silver vines, encrusted with tiny blue sapphires and black onyx stones. Suddenly, I thought I saw her image fade and blur, but when I blinked she was still there, as solid as ever.

"Why the odd question?" she asked me, and I sipped my Butterbeer nervously.

"I'm afraid of prejudice. I don't know if I should tell," I admitted and she placed a thin hand on my shoulder.

"If there is anyone on this planet who will not judge, it is I. And Dumbledore, but let's face it, he doesn't look like this," she joked, gesturing to her tired face. We laughed and I opened my sketchpad to a picture of Harry's parents lying dead.

"Ever since I came here, I've been having visions. It started off with the scene of their murder, but now it seems to center around someone else," I said as she perused the picture, her eyes intent.

"Jess, I've been having visions of Harry Potter. Whenever I see them, I can't do anything, but suddenly, I can talk and he hears me. Why am I seeing this?" I asked softly and she spit out her mouthful of Butterbeer, spewing it all over the floor. She stood up and stared at me, her eyes scared, but sympathetic. The bottle slipped out of her hand and hit the ground, the glass shattering in every direction.

"You said-" I began and she cut me off, yet again. Pacing nervously, she pulled on a Gold and Red dressing gown, stuffing her wand nervously in the pocket.

"Jess, what's wrong?" I asked her and she stared down at me. My anger flared up as I remembered her promise not to judge.

"I'm so sorry, Lia. I can't tell you what is happening. But I will take you to someone who can," she assured me, picking up a picture on her desk. It showed a tall, black-haired girl with bright amber eyes laughing with 2 boys, one with a scar on his face and one with an evil glint in the eye. She sighed deeply, and took my hand, leading me out of the office.

We descended the steps and entered a corridor on the first floor I'd never seen. The paintings on the wall depicted the Founders and their successes, and finally it dawned on me where we were going. The Headmaster's study.

At the end of the corridor, we came across a statue of a Phoenix, ornately carved out of marble.

"Lemon Drop," Jess said tiredly and the Phoenix lowered its head before flying upwards, revealing a heavy wooden door. It was quite simple, with no handle, but encrusted with thousands of gems. She smiled at me kindly, gesturing for me to place my hand on the door. Slowly, I pressed my hand against the mahogany and the gems shone brightly, changing into glimmering diamonds and moving around. They rested in the image of a wolf, howling loudly, before the door swung open and I entered. It was magnificent, but I didn't have time to admire the décor before I noticed the group of people in the center of the room.

"Cora?" I asked and she whirled around, staring at me with red eyes. She had obviously been crying. Around her stood Batman, Dumbledore and a woman I recognized as Prof. Rowling, our insane Divination teacher.

"Jessalyn, I am afraid this is not the best of times. Could you and Ms. Munroe return at some other time?" Dumbledore asked, his voice weary with pain. Cora kept looking at me, but with a fear in her eyes that I had never seen before.

"I'm sorry, Albus. But this is urgent. It involves," she paused and looked at me with worried eyes, "Harry Potter." Immediately, Batman whirled around, his eyes shining in hatred at me. Prof. Rowling walked over to me, her eyes inquisitive, but staring at me blankly. I realized at that moment: she was blind.

"My dear, please explain," she said in a dreamy voice, guiding me over to a chair. Slowly, I explained the story, about how I had begun seeing their deaths and finally, about how he could hear me now. Batman kept staring at me with a kind of sneer in his eyes, masked by an emotion that looked like sympathy, but that probably wasn't it.

"Is she one, Albus?" Jess asked, her voice earnest, yet sharp. No wonder everyone was so bloody afraid of her.

"There is only one way to find out, I'm afraid. Severus, it's time," Dumbledore replied and Batman nodded silently, before sitting stiffly in the nearest chair.

"My dear, I think it is time that you and Cora learn the truth about our world. The truth about your roles. To begin, you must accept that this man is not Severus Snape," he said calmly and my jaw dropped. Cora covered her emotions easier and simply cleared her throat,

"What do you mean, sir?" she asked, a slight greenish tinge appearing in his cheeks.

"My name is not Severus Snape. At least, not in this world," Batman explained and I exchanged a confused glanced with Cora. What did he mean?

"There are certain people in our universe known as Travelers. Travelers are witches or wizards whose souls have been split between two worlds. Professor Snape is one of these people," Dumbledore said calmly, as I tried to comprehend the alien words being said to me.

"Few people have heard of this theory, one first claimed by the sorceress Morgana in the time of Merlin. You children probably know her to be evil, but that is not the case. Morgana was a brilliant witch, but she was ostracized for her theories. Even today, she is considered a laughing stock and a blemish upon the Wizarding Community," he continued as Cora and I listened intently.

"Our Universe is split into many worlds, each similar and different in its own ways. It is impossible for one to know how many such worlds exist. Travelers have their spirit divided between two worlds, and at a certain age, they begin to travel between their 'occupants'. However, your corporeal spirit only lives in one world full-time. As you continue to travel between the worlds, your corporeal form appears in the other world as well," Batman concluded silently, his voice drenched with pain.

"In this world, I was born as Dynastes Rowling. When I turned eight, I had my first vision. It involved my mother in the other world, Eileen Prince. She was depressed, having lost her child during childbirth eight years ago. You see, Travelers don't exist in the other world, not until we choose to. I hated my family in this world, so decided to remain. I became Severus Snape," he explained, as Cora placed a light hand over her mouth.

"The books are my visions. Because Dynastes is my twin brother, my Eye is connected to his, and I saw everything," Prof. Rowling interjected, glancing at her brother sadly. I couldn't imagine a more different pair of people.

"So they all exist. Not in our world, but in another. Harry, Hermione…Voldemort," Cora said darkly, her eyes turning a dull grey as Batman nodded, his greasy hair shining in the light of the flames.

"So, I'm a Traveler, too?" I asked, my voice quiet. I pulled out my sketchpad and rifled through the pages, glancing at all my drawings. This had all happened!

"I'm afraid so," Dumbledore said softly, sighing wearily.

"But why do I see Harry? Why didn't I see anyone else?" I demanded, and Batman turned to me again, gnawing madly on his lip.

"We have a familial connection to whoever becomes the object of our first visions," he explained and Cora turned to me, her eyes as wide as Galleons.

"Though we Travelers live in one world, our appearances tend to reflect our other spirit, our other half. If you haven't yet noticed, I don't look anything like Joanne, yet she is my twin," he pointed out, the familiar sneer on his face.

"Get to the point, Batman," I smirked back, and Jess snorted derisively.

"Answer me this question. Do you actually look like your parents? Like any member of your family?" he asked and I opened my mouth widely in shock. Zach had always commented on my unusual appearance, and the fact that I looked nothing like my parents. Most people even said I was adopted. But my eyes were like my dad's except…Shit. Except for the golden flecks his eyes contained, that mine conveniently lacked.

"No, I don't," I replied, my voice weak as Cora placed her delicate hand on my shoulder in comfort.

"Exactly! You don't look like them! You're the goddamn spitting image of Lily Evans!" he yelled at me, tearing at his hair. There were tears in his cold eyes as he pulled a picture out of his cloak. I caught it as he threw it at me and gasped in shock. It was Harry's mother, when she was younger obviously. My eyes were a different color, but the same shape as hers. As my fingers ran over the image in pure amazement I realized that she could be my twin. We had the same face, the same defiant look in our eyes. She even had my outrageously thin wrists, something that I was always ashamed of.

"But my hair, my eyes," I protested and Dumbledore pulled out a book from the shelf, laying it in front of me. A tall, thin woman was gazing at me kindly, though with a regal, haughty air. Her hair was a dark brown, and her near-transparent green eyes stared at me sharply. She even had my thin lips and cunning, almost evil expression behind her eyes. The inscription beneath the painting read, "Dorea Potter née Black."

"Okay, so I look like them. What does that have anything to do with why I see Harry?" I practically yelled, and Batman chuckled, glancing at Dumbledore.

"She's just like Lily, I swear," he mumbled, before turning back to me.

"Dorea Potter was the mother of the infamous James Potter, the husband of Lily Evans," he explained, and I stood up.

"Great! That explains everything!" I shrieked sarcastically. I could hear laughing behind me, but I chose to ignore it. _Who cares what they think?_

"James Potter and Lily Evans were the parents of Harry Potter," he continued and I felt like punching him. He must've seen my look, for he stepped back ever so slightly. I made sure no one could read my mind tonight.

"However, they had another child, two years before the birth of Harry. The child was a girl, and she died at birth," he finished and I stared at him, my mouth slack. _No, it couldn't be._

"Lia, in this world you are Lia Munroe, a witch and Shield from Cape Town, South Africa. But, in their world, you are Alesea Carien Potter, the elder sister of Harry James Potter," Dumbledore said kindly, reaching out a hand to pat me on the shoulder. I backed away, feeling my body shake in shock. If only Zach were here, he'd know what to say. And then I ran, out of the study and into the dark corridors of the once-mysterious Hogwarts Castle, which now seemed to suffocate me.

**A/N: How'd I do? I need all opinion, on everything! From the Traveler, to Albus/Jo, Snape's relation to Jo (I'm sorry, I had to) and finally to Alesea Carien Potter, Harry's dead older sister. This had to be one of my most favorite chapters to write, because so much is revealed, but so much is still hidden. So much is complicated now! But honestly, I need criticism and thoughts on this! I need to know if I screwed the entire story up with this alternate universe idea. So leave a review, flames and hugs are welcome, and I'll hope for the best. And please check out my polls, they need answers URGENTLY! Here are the current standings:**

**1****st****: SkyeElf: 3pts (2 prologues of Lia, very important)**

**2****nd****:AverytheElf: 2 pts (alec/aves drawings, awesome)**

**3****rd****:Im-the-doctor: 1.5 pts (lex's prologue, must read)**

**4th: clairwe: 1pt (lia drawing)**

**Tied for 5****th****:**

**Kariann-Chan, HideAmongTheAshes, weirdgiraffe, emcee31, Dr. Rae**

**Do you guys understand the importance of those Lia prologues now? Yeah, I take into account what you guys write, it becomes part of my story as well! Couple more days left!**

**Days until D-Day: 3 squared, 3x3 or 9, an upside down 6, or an upside up 9. :P **


	30. Cassandra's Army

**A/N: Okey, dokey! Big chapter coming right at you! A slight warning, this has some more mature themes in it (implied near-rape), so as the author, I feel it is my obligation to tell you. It's not graphic whatsoever, it's merely implied, so I hope it won't be a problem to my dear readers. In terms of HP comparison, this is probably the closest I will ever get to this story being similar to HP, at least in terms of ideas. Don't get me wrong-I love JKR, but this idea had waited for way too long, at it needed to be written. And yay for over 100K words! I love you guys so much for all the help! Thanks to SkyeElf and weirdgiraffe for reviewing, you guys rule. I miss AverytheElf, but she shall return soon! And a big surprise at the end, so read on, I loved this chapter, personally. Will fans rejoice-he's awesome in this! This chapter is for Justin and all of my friends, for whom I'd do anything.**

Will's POV

I left the classroom, sighing deeply. Astronomy always came easily to me, so I had been reduced to acting as the class tutor. Unfortunately, half of the female population had decided to flirt with me. Like I was even minutely interested.

Cora had decided to accompany me, remaining silent, which I found quite unusual. She could take a conversation for hours, especially after a major test, when she'd go over every question in great detail. But she had seemed slightly distanced from everyone, the past few days and the miserable shade of grey in her eyes said enough.

"Hey, you!" a voice yelled from behind us, and we turned around. A burly sixth year and his friends walked up to us and hexed our wands away. As they drew closer, I smelled the familiar stench of stale firewhisky -a smell I had become accustomed to after the death of my mother.

"Can I help you?" I asked defiantly, stepping slightly in front of Cora. The sixth year eyed her keenly and nodded to his cronies, who promptly pinned me against the floor, their knees against my back.

"You are of no use to me. But your little friend is a whole different story," he said, licking his lips. Cora's eyes shined in fear and she stepped back slightly. I struggled against my captors. He stepped forward and pressed her against the wall with one hand, his other stroking her face gently. Cora shook in fear, but her eyes were dejected, as though she were in shock.

"Don't you touch her!" I spat, and one of his henchmen punched my head against the ground. My tongue tasted blood and I started to choke, the red liquid obstructing my airway.

"What does it matter to you, fag?" he jeered, and laughed drunkenly before drawing closer to Cora. Suddenly, her eyes flashed bag at his insult and she threw him off of her powerfully, pinning him against the wall with her mind.

"If you ever call him that again, you will never see the light of day, understand me?" she threatened, her voice dangerous. The guy merely laughed, his voice slurred.

"Come on, doll. I was just having some fun. Let me show you," he said silkily, and I saw her eyes flash between the gray and black. Unfortunately, her shield faltered and he held her to the wall, pressing his lips against her hungrily, his hands traveling further down…

"_Petrificus Totalus!" _I gasped and he fell back, his arm tied to his body. Cora's eyes focused, and she looked at me, the blood dripping down my face, and then at herself, her uniform rumpled and the shirt-buttons undone. Finally, her eyes fell to the bound sixth-year and she gasped, sliding down the wall.

"What happened?" she asked, the tears sliding down her face as she clumsily buttoned her shirt. I sat next to her and placed an arm around her shaking body.

"It doesn't matter. All that matters, is that you're okay," I mumbled and she laughed silently. After a while, she gasped and stood, looking for her wand.

"I forgot, you're bleeding too," she said, placing a finger on my nose, her eyes going white. I felt my nose grow hot and when I ran my hand over it, the bones had realigned perfectly.

"That…monster…he called you a fag," she uttered, her voice disgusted by the idea. I shrugged and twirled my wand in my fingers deftly.

"I get that a lot. I'm used to it by now," I assured her, and she looked at me, shocked.

"William Kayser! Promise me, that after today, you'll never let anybody put you down like that! You're just as much a human being as anyone else, perhaps even more so," she commented, glancing at the now-unconscious teen on the ground. I smiled at her words: she was such an optimist, such a brave creature. The quintessential Gryffindor.

"Okay, Cora, I promise," I agreed and she smiled cheerily, pulling me to my feet. Instead, I pulled her down, and we sat in silence for a while.

"Core, something's happened with you. Just know that I'm here, whenever you need to talk," I told her and she nodded silently. I made to stand up, but her small hand blocked me. Sighing deeply, she turned to her bag, and pulled out a crystal orb, shining softly in the dark.

"There's a prophecy about me, Will. But I'm afraid," she admitted, burying her head in her arms. Gently, I took the orb in my hand and a voice began speaking eerily:

"_The time for our end is drawing near_

_Withal our savior comes to light_

_Begotten to he who is malefic as Fiderico_

_And she who is virtuous as Cassandra_

_The worlds shall converge_

_As the bounds of magic are broken_

_By avarice and lust for power_

_Her love shall be her downfall_

_For she knows not the power she holds _

_The child shall hurt who she tries to protect_

_But ignore the signs, _

_To save and ruin in the end."_

The orb darkened again, and Cora placed it in her bag, looking at me with teary eyes.

"Do you see now, why I'm avoiding you? According to this, anyone I care for will die. And I'm going to wind up ignoring that, destroying everything in the end!" she exclaimed, her voice catching in her throat. I shook my head, and pulled a curl behind her ear.

"Since when does the One shy away from danger? This is your destiny, Core, not just some stupid prediction on the side of the road. Do you remember what you told me? 'If you outrun your destiny, you shall be miserable.' That was the wisest thing I have ever heard anyone say," I said softly and she turned to me, a sheepish smile on her face.

"Rubbish. It can't be the wisest thing, I'm only thirteen," she joked and I laughed, my voice echoing through the hallway.

"No, you ignoramus! Age has nothing to do with Wisdom, Cora. And you won't be alone in your fight! Do you sincerely believe that Lex, Aves, Amber or even me, for that matter, would let you go alone? You must be bonkers!" I exclaimed and her eyes went wide.

"You will not put yourself into harms way for my sorry ass," she said firmly, and I shook my head, my hair falling onto my face.

"That's not your choice to make, Cora. If you fight, we will follow. I doubt the others would disagree, any one of them," I replied and she blinked, obviously stunned by my response.

"You really believe I can do this?" she whispered and I nodded, my heart lifting at the smile that spread immediately across her face.

"What do you know about the coming events?" I asked and she threw her hands in the air.

"That's the point! Besides the prophecy, I have nothing to go on! But I've taken the time to analyze every line, and I think I know what it means, at least roughly so," she nodded and pulled out a piece of paper, covered in notes.

"Prof. Dumbledore told me about the Universe Theory, in which Morgana stated that the universe is made up of many different world, within only several people could travel," she explained and I cut her off.

"Wait, Morgana? As in the presumed nutjob Morgana le Fay?" I exclaimed and she shook her head in exasperation.

"Yes, Will. But Prof. Rowling was considered insane too, yet she had a pretty damn good point. All of her books, they're visions of another world. Voldemort exists, just not in our world!" she argued and my eyes widened

"That's impossible," I said and she shrugged.

"That's what I would have said about magic and Newids several months ago. I've learned to accept the impossible," she answered simply and I chuckled at her logic. The quintessential Ravenclaw, as well.

"Okay, then. What's your theory?" I asked and she grinned widely, pulling an old book out of her bag.

"I found this book on Morgana in Dumbledore's library. Apparently, Merlin himself stated that inter-worldly travel would be impossible, because of the magical boundaries between them. This is going to sound kind of wild," she admitted and I shrugged.

"Trust me, Core. Nothing could shock me now," I assured her and she flipped the page, which depicted the picture of the seashore.

"I think that Magic itself has to originate somewhere. My theory is, that place is the Center of all Worlds, found in the center of our Universe. Without this source, the worlds which orbit around it would die, similar to how the planets in our galaxy would die without the sun," she began and I nodded slowly, trying to process what she had said. Normally, I prided myself on having above-average intelligence, but this was over my head.

"I take that back. There are still things that could shock me, obviously," I commented and she giggled, a sound I had not heard in ages.

"Morgana stated that the only way those boundaries could be traversed are by Travelers, witches or wizards with souls split between the worlds. She didn't mention anything about what would happen if a normal witch or wizard were to cross the boundaries. My best guess is that the magical boundaries would be tainted, leading to the pure Magic of the Center to diminish. Unfortunately, I don't know who will cross, which leaves me to do nothing but to train and prepare for the coming battle," she said, resolute. I heard in her voice that she had made up her mind and the hope in my chest flew high: if she was determined, we would all be safe.

"That's an impressive theory. And I'd be honored to follow you into battle, when the time comes," I said and we stood up together, retreating to Gryffindor Tower.

* * *

><p>The next morning, I woke up early, and decided to gather the entire group in front of the fire. As always, my dreams had been plagued by images of mum, lying dead on the alley, so I had come up with a plan to help Cora. The poor thing was self-reliant to a fault: she never accepted help, but this was one battle she couldn't go through alone.<p>

Stretching widely, I walked down the stairs and stood on the stairs, a list in my hand. For some reason, she always managed to wake up at eight o'clock sharp every morning, even on the weekends. That gave me half an hour to convince these people to help.

"Ahem! May I have your attention?" I boomed and they turned to me.

"Oi! Why'd we have to get up so bloody early? Not even Cora's awake, and she rises the earliest!" Xander complained, his head falling on Bex's shoulder. I noticed her hair go pink, to match her blush, but shook the thought out of my mind.

"You all know about Cora's abilities by now. I've gathered you here today because there's much more to it," I told them and the room quieted instantly, their eyes focused on me intently. I took a deep breath, and forgot my speech entirely.

"Okay. Cora's problems are far from over. She's a Newid, which gives her great power, it's true. However, she's also the One. And without her, we'll die," I explained and the Common Room panicked.

"OI! Hear me out!" I yelled and they looked at me expectantly. Shit, I hated attention!

"Yesterday, she showed me a Prophecy. This prophecy tells of the end of the world, and not just ours. The end of all worlds," I said seriously, and several people gasped.

"Now, you can imagine what Cora's reaction to that was. She's determined to go it alone, but I've gathered you here today, because I don't believe that my best friend should fight alone. Ever," I stated and several people nodded. Some still looked hesitant, so I continued.

"All my life, I've been told that our world is the only one there is. In one night, that girl has proven me wrong, and she has showed me what we are up against. At this point, I'm only aware of one other world. One that our community is quite familiar with. In this other world, Harry Potter exists," I said simply, and the uproar started again. Most people's lives had been greatly affected by Rowling's escapade, and they weren't willing to accept it as a truth.

"Hear me out, please. The prophecy stated that our worlds would end, when a simple with or wizard would open the barrier between two worlds and contaminate the pure magic in between. At that point, it will have to become Cora's job to try and find the perpetrator and restore balance to our world. But, my guess is, this person will have followers, henchmen," I bit my lip at the looks on their faces. They still didn't believe.

"If you don't want to help me because you believe, then help Cora. Help your friend, the one who always offers her shoulder to cry on, and is willing to give her life for any of you in a heartbeat. Do it to save her, to help her, because she needs it," I finished and stared at the group. Slowly, I spotted Aves, who clapped her hands softly, then louder and louder. Finally, the entire Common Room erupted in cheers and applause, their faces determined and brave.

"What in the name of Merlin's saggy left trouser bottom is going on here?" exclaimed Cora from behind me. I turned to her, smiling and wrapped my arm around her shoulder.

"Milady, I give you…your army," I gestured behind me at the group that had congregated in the Common Room. For her.

"We need a name!" exclaimed Bex, running forward excitedly, at a stunned Cora.

"How can you guys join an army, if we don't know who we're fighting against?" Cora gasped, staring at the group. Regally, Lex stepped forward and announced in a noble voice.

"It doesn't matter who you're fighting against, as long as you know who you're fighting for. We have decided to fight for you Cora, against anyone who dares to try and destroy the world. Our worlds. Once this war starts, Cora, you will need people to help. Don't dare try to deny it! Will told us everything; we know what we could be going against. And none of us mind," she concluded proudly, to rousing cheers.

"Before you make such decisions, you need to realize what you're getting yourself into. The prophecy said people would die, the people I loved. If you decide to join this…army of sorts…you risk death," Cora said gravely. Lex simply shrugged and looked her in the eye.

"Core, we would risk our lives for you just as you would risk our lives for us. Without you, there can be no 'us'. Without you, there is no hope," she stated firmly, effectively sealing the matter. Cora sighed, but nodded dejectedly, pulling out a piece of parchment.

"Who writes neatly?" she asked, and Bex ran forward, basically snatching the paper out of her grasp. We settled around the table in front of the fire and handed Bex a quil, upon which she began to chew.

"We still need a name," she protested, and most people shrugged.

"The Rattigan Society?" someone asked and Cora shook her head.

"Nothing with my name, please. It makes me sound so haughty," she protested, amongst many snorts of laughter.

"The League of Defenders?" someone suggested, and we turned to him, looking apprehensively.

"What? It's just an idea," he said sheepishly, and we turned to Cora, who was biting her lip.

"Spit it out," I rolled my eyes and she shot me a death-glare.

"Cassandra's Army. She was the first Newid, and perhaps the most powerful," Cora whispered and the crowd went silent, staring at her.

"Any objections?" I asked, and everyone shook their heads, as Bex wrote it across the page in neat, wide script.

"This is just the initial list of members. More will be added on later, as people continue to join-" Bex began, but someone cut her off.

"Why the hell would people join? We wouldn't be doing anything but waiting for a war," he said and Cora glared at him, her eyes black.

"Do you really think I'm that irresponsible? Most of you are first-years, not nearly advanced enough to fight. As members, you will be learning defense, in all manners. You asked for an army, and you'll get one. If you thought I'd let my friends just jump into battle unprepared, you're dead wrong. Whoever joins better be ready for intense training. We'll practice Strategy, Defense, Combat, Dueling and Paraxenic Battle. This is not a game, this is no joke. I obviously cannot stop you from joining, from risking your lives, but I can sure as hell make certain you're well prepared. I still don't know what we're up against. If any of you take issue with any of those prerequisites, you may leave. I won't blame you," Cora declared firmly. No one moved from their seats, though many turned to glare at the ignoramus who had dared to challenge her. Finally, Bex cleared her throat and turned the paper around, leaving the quill next to the sheet.

"Please print your name on the paper if you wish to join. Your full name, though you may choose to omit the middle. Once the ink hits the paper, you will be an official member of Cassandra's Army, so act like one," she said, her hair turning a cold silver. I had never seen her angry before.

After much pushing and shoving, the list was complete, and I decided to look at our current members:

_**CASSANDRA'S ARMY:**_

_Cora Alice Rattigan_

_Alexandreiana Katerina Dracul_

_Jack McGinn_

_Avery McGee_

_Alec Carmicheal_

_Ian Ravendale_

_Amber Wilcox_

_William Kayser_

_Rebecca Chang_

_Adrian Li_

_Christine Baker_

_Colin Slade_

_Nick Rodriguez_

_Alexander Griffiths_

_Sam Evanson_

_Chase Noorani_

_Annabel George_

Smiling to myself, I raised the scroll in the air triumphantly, and everyone cheered, releasing sparks from their wands.

Lia's POV

Ever since that night, my mind had been spinning. I wasn't Lia Munroe, at least not fully. The fact that my soul was torn between two worlds was just another way of the Universe slapping me in the face and telling me I didn't belong anywhere. That I was a freak.

Half of me was Lia Munroe, the freak from South Africa with a screwed-up dad and a heart that couldn't think clearly. The girl who loved her best friend, but was too fucking proud to admit it.

My other half was Alesea Carien Potter, the elder sister of Harry Potter, who had lost her parents to a sick-minded murder the night of All-Hallows Eve. A girl that never had existed, but whose brother seemed to hear her, when no one else did.

I felt sorry for myself, and I was furious because of it. My mind couldn't decide on which world I liked more, for I knew I had to choose. I needed to belong somewhere, but my cowardly heart was afraid of choosing the wrong world. Absentmindedly, I decided I needed someplace to think, so I grabbed a peach from the table and walked away from the table, ignoring Aidan.

Once I reached the dormitory, I pulled on my warmest clothes, leaving my hair down as a kind of makeshift hat. It didn't snow much in South Africa, and I had never needed a hat in Cape Town. Big mistake. Thankfully, the school provided students with sweaters and scarves, as well as heavier winter cloaks. Grabbing the peach and a knife that Zach had given me for my last birthday, I headed outside, my sketchpad in my arm as always.

The air outside was fresh and crisp, the grounds covered with fresh snow. Slowly, the flakes fell, landing on my tongue and lashes. In truth, I had seen snow before, but this was different. I had been 5 then, and I hid inside, afraid of the cold slivers. Now, they comforted me, surrounding me in a cocoon of merriment, similar to the kind that only Christmas could bring about. I dropped the peach and spun in a circle, my mouth wide open. After a while, I stopped, feeling juvenile. Seizing my dropped belongings, I sat underneath a tree and took of my gloves, rubbing my hands together.

No one was out on the grounds, and I enjoyed the calming silence of the falling snow. Slowly, I cut a small piece of peach with my pocketknife and placed it in my mouth, relishing in the cold, sweet taste of the fruit. Peaches were fairly common on the western and northern Cape in South Africa, and they had been my favorite fruit since I was young. Unfortunately, my teeth were sensitive, so I could never simply eat one, until Zach noticed and bought me my knife.

_-Flashback-_

"_Happy Birthday, Black Widow," he said, his eyes smoldering softly. In his hands was a small, rectangular package, exactly the length of my tiny hand. I took the box hesitantly and ripped open the silver wrapping._

_Inside the box, I saw a folded pocket knife, the handle portraying an elegant black and green design._

"_You got me a knife," was all I could say, and he laughed loudly, his eyes twinkling._

"_For two reasons. First, you need to stop guilting me by staring so longingly at those peaches on the pier. It's bloody frustrating," he said, and I shot him a death glare. Then he leaned forward, and cupped my small face in his hand, using a long finger to tuck a lock of my hair behind my ear._

"_What was the other reason?" I tried to ask, my voice impassive, but it came out as a croak. He smirked to himself and leaned forward, so his face was only several inches from mine._

"_So you won't let anyone touch that pretty face of yours," he answered softly, and I unfolded the knife in front of his face._

"_Okay then. Hands off, nitwit," I demanded and he smirked, his eyes sparkling playfully_

_-End Flashback-_

I shook my head the memory, as my heart sped up in my chest. Chances were, he already had his eyes on another girl, now that his conflictingly 'pretty' best friend was out of the way. I had to stop thinking about him. Looking down, I cut myself another piece and placed it in my mouth, biting down angrily. Pain shot to my nerves as the cold juice hit my teeth and I winced, tears collecting in my eyes.

"Hey there, beautiful," a familiar voice said and I glanced up. Through my tears, I could only make out that he was tall, with tanned skin and fairly long black hair.

"Fuck off. Can't you see I want to be alone?" I snapped, hiding my face in my arms. The last thing I needed was another sympathetic dumbass trying to comfort me.

"What? No greeting, Black Widow?" he asked and I looked up, wiping away my tears. Only one person ever called me that…

"Zach!" I exclaimed, jumping up and hugging him tightly. He chuckled, and wrapped his long arms around my small frame, pulling me close and placing a light kiss on my head.

"What are you doing here?" I asked and he backed away, gesturing to his uniform. I drew in my breath sharply as I saw the signature black cloak, emblazoned with the crest and silver fastenings. However, I noticed that he wasn't wearing any house colors, because everything was simply patterned in gray, with the Hogwarts crest.

"I applied to Hogwarts after you left. Because of my grades, it took some serious academic work for me to convince them that I was good enough. Finally they accepted me, but I haven't been sorted yet. Officially, I'm your Christmas Present. And, no doubt, the best one you have ever received," he added snobbishly and I punched him in the shoulder.

"You'll get into Slytherin, with your evilness. Which is great, because I made Slytherin too," I pointed to my crest and he laughed.

"I haven't seen you this happy in ages, Lee. What have they done to you?" he asked dramatically, and I shot him a death-glare.

"_They've_ done nothing," I answered, placing particular emphasis on the _they've_ part.

He frowned slight and placed his hand on my back, looking me in the eye.

"I've been thinking…about the plane-" he began, but I cut him off, remembering what I had done.

"I'm sorry, Zach. But I have a boyfriend now," I said, and he smirked, pushing away the fingers I had placed on his lips.

"Lee, I don't care. I've waited for this ever since the day I first saw you in Mr. Davitz's class, carrying a pile of books bigger than yourself. I've loved you ever since that day when you told off your asshole father in front of me, and since you pinned me against the wall, your fist in my face because I called you the Black Widow. Just this once, Lee, let you goddamned guard down," he whispered, the same look in his eyes as when he had looked at me on the plane. Quickly, he breached the distance between us and pressed his lips against mine, moving softly and adoringly. I gave in, and moved my lips gently against his, moving rhythmically. When we pulled away, he tapped away my tears with his finger and kissed the top of my forehead.

"Definitely worth it," he whispered and I pulled from his grip, clasping his wrists in my tiny hands.

"Zach, I _do _love you. But we can't do this, not yet. Can we go back to the way things were, before the plane? I need someone to trust," I asked and his face fell briefly, before brightening up again, his eyes said beneath a veil of feigned happiness.

"Anything for you, Black Widow," he answered, sitting on the ground next to the dropped peach, and biting into it deeply.

"Thief," I complained and he shrugged, leaning back against the bark.

We sat there for a while, in silence, the snowflakes falling around us.

**A/N: How'd I do? Who here absolutely loves Zach? Thank you Skye, he's bloody brilliant-it's her character, I take no credit for having invented him. And I know Cassandra's Army is somewhat, okay VERY, similar to Dumbledore's Army, but that was honestly one of my favorite parts of the HP books. And in my version, they help each other, not just Harry teaching everyone. That just seemed kinda weird… Please leave a review, I need them desperately, considering how my numbers are dwindling at an exponential rate. We're quite close to the deadline, and I hope for some last-minute game changers from weirdgiraffe or clairwe, just to spice things up. Hugs and flames are welcome, as are any suggestions. At this point, I honestly have little to nothing planned out, suggestions are now begged for! Thank you for reading!**

**Latest results:**

**1****st****: SkyeElf: 3pts (2 prologues of Lia, very important)**

**2****nd****:AverytheElf: 2 pts (alec/aves drawings, awesome)**

**3****rd****:Im-the-doctor: 1.5 pts (lex's prologue, must read)**

**4th: clairwe: 1pt (lia drawing)**

**Tied for 5****th****:**

**Kariann-Chan, HideAmongTheAshes, weirdgiraffe, emcee31, Dr. Rae**

**Raise your hands if you knew Zach because of those prologues! If you didn't shame…. They are so bloody amazing! Last minute game changers are happily welcomed, it offers friendly competition**

**Days until D-Day: 2 cubed, 4x2 or 8-infinity turned sideways!**

**Hugs!**


	31. Travels

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm so glad I was able to get this chapter out earlier! Though not much happens, I happen to like this chapter a lot, it builds to the several Christmas chapters we'll be having. Christmas in July-best thing EVER! For all of you curious folk, yes, all of the facts in this chapter are completely accurate, I checked them myself. And I absolutely love it when Cora goes bonkers- it makes me so happy, oddly enough. Thanks to the Elves (yay I can say that again), weirdgiraffe and HideAmongTheAshes for reviewing! It seems like everythings back to normal. KIDDING! Normal is terrible! This chapter is for my mom and my friends, who I love because they stay with me even after I yell like I've gone bonkers.**

Aidan's POV

The Great Hall was packed for dinner - today was the last day of term. Sounds of grumbling and worry filled the hall as the entire student population began to fret over the exams they had taken that day. I rolled my eyes and sat down beside Alec, who had been talking to the Slytherin Quidditch Captain: Reilly Silvernail. My head turned around as I searched for Lia, but was surprised to find that she hadn't arrived yet. Lia adored food, and was usually first to meals.

Finally, the doors to the Great Hall opened and she strode in happily, a familiar face by her side. My stomach clenched in fury as I recognized him from her drawing: the South African friend whom she held in such high regard. If he so much as touched her without my permission…

"Hey, Aidan!" she said brightly, running over to me and hugging me more cautiously than usual. I ignored this and pulled her close to me, pressing my lips in front of hers, as though to claim her for mine. He glared daggers at me and I smirked, opening my mouth slowly, invitingly.

A surge of heat on my hands made me pull away, and I noticed my hands were covered in severe burns, his eyes black and cold in concentration. Fine, two could play at that game.

I twitched my fingers upwards and the silver cutlery rose slowly, flying after him dangerously. His face remained steady, as his eyes became black again and he stared at me simply, a smirk evident on his face.

"Stop," he said simply, and I felt my powers give in to his wish. Bloody Manipulator!

Lia, in the meantime, stepped between us, her eyes cold and defiant.

"Behave!" she whispered dangerously, and I nodded curtly, turning back to the table. Her friend, however, flashed her a white, sincere smile and took her hand, bowing deeply as he placed his lips on her skeletal hand. Lia blushed scarlet and I tried desperately not to strangle him then and there.

"Anything for you, Black Widow," he said softly, and several Ravenclaw girls fainted dramatically. He didn't seem to notice, though, and simply smiled radiantly at Lia, before walking up to the Head table, his head partially obscured by his hair.

"Students, attention please!" Prof. Andersonn yelled and we directed our attention to Dumbledore, who was smiling genially, the Sorting Hat in his hand.

"We are greeted by a new student today, Zachary Huber. Let us make him feel welcome with a loud round of applause!" Dumbledore said and the female population roared, while the rest simply clapped out of boredom.

"Mr. Huber, if you please," Prof. Andersonn said, gesturing to the chair. He sat down leisurely, and she placed the hat on his head. After several seconds of silence, the hat said, in a voice that was barely a whisper,

"Slythindor," it whispered and I heard Lia gasp in shock behind me. Dumbledore cleared his throat and waved his wand, the hat disappearing of the boy's head.

"My boy, the hat has sorted you into two houses. It seems that you are too difficult to place. You are left with a choice," he said solemnly and he looked between the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables, his eyes warm with focus.

"What are my choices?" he asked simply, but his eyes rested on Lia, until I turned to him with a face that simply said, "Keep your fucking hands off."

"Slytherin and Gryffindor. Slytherin is valued for cunning, determination, self-preservation and, above all, ambition. Gryffindor is quite the opposite, which is why the Sorting Hat's dilemma is so baffling. Gryffindors tend to pride themselves upon their bravery, chivalry and sheer daring. There are no two houses more different, and the animosity is well known. Choose wisely," Dumbledore explained and the dark-haired boy shrugged, biting his lip.

"Slytherin," he answered after a while and the hall went deathly silent. No one had expected him to willingly choose the infamous house of Salazar Slytherin- the Wizarding community viewed us as the bane of their existence. Quietly, his uniform became green and silver and he walked over to our table, sitting casually beside Lia. He seemed to feel the eyes on his back, so he turned menacingly to the rest of the hall, his eyes black.

"Stop staring," he said softly, and they resumed their conversations elegantly, as though nothing had happened.

"Guys, this is Zach. He's a friend of mine from South Africa," Lia began, piling the food onto her plate.

"Alec. Nice to meet you, mate," Alec greeted him, smirking evilly as he glanced at my stony face. Lia noticed and elbowed me in the ribs, painfully. Giving him my best glare, I held out my spare hand, keeping the other tightly around her waist.

"Aidan," I said roughly and he shook my hand roughly, his eyes trailing to my other hand.

"Let go of her. Can't you see you're hurting her?" he asked and my eyes travelled to Lia's face. Sure enough, her face was slightly distorted, as she bit down on her steak with an unwanted fury.

"Sorry," I told her and she shrugged, rubbing her waist softly. This dude cared about her, way too much for my personal taste.

"Isabella Carmicheal," Iz said finally, holding her hand out regally. With disgust, I noticed she was batting her long eyelashes rapidly, her lips slightly apart. Zach merely raised his head in mild curiosity and looked at her, his eyes black with disinterest.

"And I'm not interested, so you can stop batting your disgustingly long lashes at me," he said sharply and her lips settled into a dangerous sneer. Hell, maybe this guy wouldn't be so bad.

"Oh, but you will be. Soon you'll be begging at my feet," she replied, her voice sultry. Lia lowered her eyes into her food and began pushing her half-eaten piece of apple tart around.

"Somehow, I frightfully doubt that. Furthermore, I tend to find it ridiculously dubious on your part that you even think you could flirt with me, when I have this matchless beauty by my side. So you can forget it," he snapped at her sharply and I glanced at him quizzically. He seriously liked Lia, I could see it in his eyes. Slowly, I lowered my fork and nudged Lia, gesturing with my head towards the door. She nodded silently and smiled at Zach, before following me out of the Great Hall and into an empty classroom.

* * *

><p>"Listen, Aidan-" she began, her voice tinged with pain, but I cut her off. I knew what I had to do, but that didn't make it any less painful. And I needed something, one last time.<p>

I pressed my lips to hers, and she didn't move, her lips remaining firm under mine. Gradually, she melted into my grip and her lips began moving against mine gently, mournfully, then faster, more unyielding. Her small arms wrapped around me and I pulled her close, breathing in her sweet scent, one last time.

After about half a minute, I pulled away and she stared at me wide-eyed, her face flushed in confusion.

"What was that for?" she asked breathlessly, sitting herself on an empty desk.

"Confirmation. So I know that what I'm doing is right," I answered and she looked at me oddly, her eyebrows raised hesitantly.

"What do you mean?" she continued and I chuckled darkly. If there was one thing I loved about her, it's that she wasn't afraid of the truth. She embraced it like an old friend.

"See, I couldn't think of a proper Christmas present for you. And now, I finally know what it is," I replied and she laughed at my awkwardness. I doubted that my face had ever been this red, except for perhaps that day on the platform. The day when I first saw Cora.

"That kiss really wasn't quite bad," she commented and I shook my head silently.

"The kiss wasn't my gift, Lia. It was a shove in the right direction," I admitted and she slid off the wooden surface, walking to me slowly. I raised my head and smiled at her, my heart flying when her eyes twinkled in response. I'd always wanted a sister.

"I've seen the way you look at him, Lia, and I'm damn sure I don't look at you the way he does. That kiss told me everything, because I honestly didn't feel anything special. Not anymore, at least," I confessed and she smiled widely, placing her finger under my chin so I'd look at her.

"My Christmas present to you Lia is freedom. You're single again, and I promise I won't stop you. But you're like my little sister, so if that bastard hurts you, I'll break off both his legs and feed him to the Basilisk," I joked and she laughed, hugging me tightly. Shaking my head, I patted her head and rested my chin against her frizzy hair. This I could live with.

"Thanks, big brother," she whispered and let me go, her eyes twinkling happily. Her eyes dated to the door and I retracted my arms, chuckling lightly.

"Go get 'em, tiger," I smiled and she ran off, closing the door behind her. Grinning widely, I ran my hand through my hair and left the classroom, heading to the dormitory to pack my things.

Cora's POV

The Gryffindor Common Room was loud that night, full of students scrambling to pack last-minute necessities. Most of Cassandra's Army had decided to go home for the Holidays, promising that they'd try to spread word to all of their friends and relatives. The remaining members, including Alec, Will, Amber and I had decided to stay behind, and focus on gathering more members, as our numbers were still quite scarce. Most of our time was devoted in the library, researching Morgana and spells, trying to piece together a plan that we could use against the enemy. But we didn't know the enemy, and we still didn't know what we fought for.

Mum hadn't written since her last letter, and I was beginning to get worried. I couldn't imagine what _he_ could do to her once he found her. Because of her nonexistent reply, I was to remain at Hogwarts for the Holidays. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have minded, but after all that had happened, I desperately needed to see my mother, and talk to her. Through the years, she'd always known exactly what to say, and I missed her so much.

I curled up on the couch with a Defense book in my arms, outlining the most useful jinxes for combat. Not wanting to hear any of the ruckus, I had borrowed Amber's iPod and set it up to play one of my favorite songs, "World So Cold," by Three Days Grace. The fire in front of me crackled merrily and I pulled a notebook closer, taking notes on every spell I found, itching to try them out.

Suddenly, I felt someone shake my shoulders and I pulled the earplugs out, turning violently.

Lex was standing behind the couch, her hair tied back and already in a pair of red pajamas. Her hands were on her hips and she was staring at me, angrily, as though I had done her a great personal wrong.

"What in the name of Merlin are you still doing down here? Why aren't you packed?" she exclaimed and a fist tightened around my stomach.

"Lex, I'd rather not talk about it," I said silently, and turned back to my book, burying my nose in its safe pages.

"Oh no, Cora! We're bloody well going to talk about it!" she yelled back, and I heard the hurt in her voice. Why was she in pain? She was going to a freaking castle!

"It's none of your bloody business, Lex! Sod off!" I objected, throwing up a shield so that she couldn't come any closer.

"As your self-proclaimed best friend, I am ENTITLED to know, because it concerns me as well! I shall repeat, why are your things not packed?" she demanded, crossing her arms temperamentally.

"BECAUSE SOME OF US DON'T HAVE A BLOODY HOME TO GO TO!" I yelled and she staggered back, my shield finally having hit her. Her face was alarmed, and slightly confused, but I ignored it. I was on a bloody rampage.

"NOT EVERYONE LIVES IN A GODDAMN CASTLE, LEX! NOT ALL OF US EVEN HAVE A FAMILY TO GO HOME TO! I CAN'T GO HOME BECAUSE MY MUM'S TRYING TO FIND US A PLACE TO STAY, CONSIDERING MY ARSEHOLE OF A FATHER IS PROBABLY OUT ON A MURDEROUS RIOT! I'D FUCKING LOVE TO GO HOME, BUT I'M STUCK HERE INSTEAD, NOT BEING ABLE TO DO ANYTHING! SO GO SPEW YOUR SELF-ENTITLED CRAP SOMEWHERE ELSE!" I screamed and she stood up, her perfect posture never failing.

"Cora, what are you on about? I told you-" she protested but I cut her off.

"Spare me your theatrics, Lex. I thought you understood," I said simply and I saw her eyes glint.

"Merlin's beard, Cora, where is this coming from? I made myself perfectly clear-" she tried to say but she was interrupted by a pillow flying at high velocity towards her head.

"Made yourself clear about what, exactly? You just came waltzing down here and practically bragged that you were going home to your happy family while I had to stay here because of my mentally deranged father. Some friend you are," I shook my head and collapsed on the armchair, tucking my legs underneath me.

Slowly, Lex stepped forward and placed a wary hand on my arm.

"Cora, I asked you whether or not you were packed because we'll have to take the first train out of here. My dad can arrange for transportation for us from Kings Cross, but you can't very well spend Christmas Vacation in Bran Castle without any clothes," she said softly and I turned my head to her, tilting it ever so slightly.

"I have no idea what you mean. Why would I be going to Bran Castle?" I asked and she gasped, swearing profusely.

"_Dumnezeu!_ You mean I forgot to tell you? Shit, I'm so sorry! I asked my dad if it would be okay for you to spend Christmas break with us, at Bran. I must've forgotten to ask you! And I already told him you were coming!" she rubbed her eyes frustratingly and shook her head violently.

"Lex, I'm sorry. But I can't go in a different country and leave my mum with my psychopath father behind. Sorry for yelling at you though," I apologized and her eyes went wide.

"Your mum's invited too, of course. Bran Castle has about 15 bedrooms, and you guys can take your pick. There's no way your dad could find you guys there, it's in the middle of a forest. Come on, Core. We'll owl your mum and everything," she pleaded and I almost laughed at her earnest expression.

"Oh, all right. I guess Christmas in a castle can't be all bad," I shrugged and she leaped from the ground deftly, enveloping me in a huge hug.

"This is going to be so much fun!" she exclaimed and I laughed, patting her back lightly.

* * *

><p>I was awoken by a very hyper Lex, who shook me awake roughly, holding a piece of parchment in her hand.<p>

"Ugh, Lex. You're giving me motion sickness just from looking at you. Stand still," I complained, sitting up wearily and taking the parchment in my hand.

_Dear Core,_

_I have to admit, I'm quite impressed by this owl. It managed to find me, even though I'm currently staying in one of the worst hotels in all of London. The smell here is utterly disgusting, but I'm hoping the rush of people will allow me to blend in with the crowd. _

_Regarding your letter, I have to admit that Christmas in an ancient Romanian castle sounds beyond lovely. I can't lie to you-I'm slightly afraid of the fact that Lex's dad is a vampire, but I trust your judgment. And Romania sound like a very safe place to be, at least to throw him off my trail. I'll look forward to meeting you and Lex tomorrow at Kings Cross by noon, in front of Platform 9. I sincerely hope that our "transportation" to Romania will be safe – I'd rather keep all of my body parts, thank you very much. _

_Kisses and Hugs to you both,_

_Mum_

"Okay, now I've read it. Can you tell me why it was so important for me to wake up at 5 in the bloody morning?" I groaned, looking at the watch by my bedside.

"Because you haven't packed, and I need your help. You have access to the kitchens, and I desperately need some food for the journey. Unless you'd prefer seeing me hunt for squirrels in the forest," she answered drily and I shook my head in disgust. That was a terrible image. Pulling on some jeans and a black sweater, I trudged down to the kitchens and asked the house-elves for some sandwiches, upon which they presented me with a plate of sausages, meat pie and treacle tart. When I returned to the Common Room, I nearly dropped the platter, staring in utter disbelief at the piles of clothes on my bed.

"What. Have. You. Done?" I stuttered and she grabbed the platter before waving her wand over the clothes, which piled themselves into neat piles, color-coded and sorted.

"You're exceedingly messy, Core. I took the liberty of cleaning out your trunk," she answered simply, and with another swish of her wand, the clothes arranged themselves into my trunk, leaving plenty of space for my books, and more importantly, the prophecy.

Packing the rest, I glanced at the clock in shock: it was 8 o'clock and the train would depart in half-an-hour!

We exited the castle among many hugs and wolf-whistles (when Jack and Lex kissed so passionately, she even set his hair on fire) and ran down to Hogsmeade station, my attention fully focused on the floating trunks in front of me. Thankfully, we found a compartment in time and as soon as we settled in, I felt my eyes close in exhaustion, begging for sleep.

Once the train reached London, we grabbed our trunks and sped off toward Platform 9. Overjoyed, I ran ahead and hugged Mum tightly, breathing in her musky scent.

"I missed you too, Core," she chuckled and I twisted my head upwards at the sound of her voice. And then I really saw her.

She was skinnier than I'd ever seen her, and her usually peachy skin was grey and sallow. The circles under her eyes looked quite permanent and her usually short, pixie-cut hair had grown into a messy, curly bush around her face. She'd worn her favorite brown and white Norwegian print sweater, buttoned all the way up to her neck, but I could still spot the outlines of scars along her now-thinned neck. The garment, which used to fit her snugly, now hung loose around her tight stomach and thin shoulders. I shook my head silently, and felt the tears begin to saturate my eyes.

"Mum," I said softly, but she cut me off, pulling me closer.

"Hey, it's not that bad. I always said I wanted to lose weight," she smiled and I tried to laugh, but I croaked instead.

"Not, not like this," I muttered and she lifted my head to look her in the eyes.

"Cora Alice Rattigan. This is a vacation. I absolutely forbid you to talk of these things, do you understand?" she sad firmly and I nodded, shaking my mind back to reality.

"My, how impolite we've been. How about you introduce me to your friend?" she interjected politely and Lex walked forward regally, obviously assuming her most formal of manners.

"Alexandreiana Dracul, ma'am. I'm quite glad to meet you," she introduced herself, curtsying deeply. Mum stared at me for several seconds before Lex and I burst out in laughter.

"Yeah, I suppose that's the royal manners I've been taught. I'm Lex," she corrected, holding out her hand. Mum sighed gratefully and pulled Lex into a deep hug.

"Nonsense, Lex. We hug our friends," Mum said and I saw Lex go beet red, as she tried desperately to fix her hair.

"So, how exactly are we getting to Bran Castle, Lex?" I asked, turning to her. Mum rolled her eyes and pulled her brown suitcase even closer.

"I thought you knew, Cora!" she objected, and I shrugged.

"Mum, you're being accompanied by two witches. What could go wrong?" I asked and she glared at me.

"Two thirteen-year-old witches! Really comforting!" she snorted and began walking out of the station. Lex and I exchanged a coy wink and joined her, walking briskly.

"But really, Ms. Rattigan, nothing could go wrong," Lex said innocently, her wide eyes trusting.

"Except for splinching," I interjected.

"Or muttering-"

"You forgot bucking-"

"And finally flinching," Lex nodded thoughtfully as Mum began to look increasingly alarmed.

"But that's about it, don't worry," I assured her, snickering as I tapped the hand that she had clenched into a fist. She stared at me, her eyes flickering dangerously.

"You didn't," she said, shaking her head slowly at me, her lips pursed tightly.

"May-be..," I began and ran off in front of her, pushing my cart powerfully. Lex was right at my side and we whirled around, only to see my Mum running behind us at the same pace.

"I'm so going to kill you guys!"

"We're taking a Portkey," Lex said finally, when we had pulled our trunks into an empty alley.

"A what?" my mom asked, staring at me quizzically.

"A Portkey is an object that transports people to a pre-determined location as soon as the person touches it, or at a pre-designated time," I explained and she nodded silently, glancing at Lex, who bore a grin on her face. Slowly, she pulled a necklace out of her sweater and I saw that it was simple, bearing a simple crest charm encrusted with rubies.

"In about 30 seconds, this is going to start glowing. Ms. Rattigan, you'll need to keep one hand firmly on the necklace and the other on the suitcase. You'll feel an odd tug at the back of your stomach, but only let go when I say so," Lex instructed, her voice switching into her I'm-in-charge-now mode. My mum and I nodded fervently, taking a hold of the necklace. Several seconds passed, and I began to feel like an idiot.

Suddenly, the chain lit up and I felt as though a hook had grabbed the back of my navel. The ground below us seemed to split, revealing a silver porthole, through which we fell and began to spin quite rapidly. I started screaming, and my Mum's eyes were shut in fear, but Lex's eyes were wide open and I could see her mouth counting the seconds.

"28, 29, 30. Okay, you guys. Let go!" she yelled and my hand unclenched from the Portkey. Instantly, I felt a powerful pull backwards and I saw that I was flying towards the ground, my mum next to me. Holding her hand, I slowed us down, so that by the time we reached the ground, we fell upon the moss as though it were a soft mattress. My eyes looked at Lex scornfully, who landed on the ground like a panther, doing an elegant somersault and landing on her feet. Grinning widely, she helped us up and gestured around us at the dense forest.

"Welcome to Romania."

**A/N: How'd I do? First of all, Bran Castle is a very real place, and it is quite a splendid sight, you guys should definitely Google it or something. I hope you guys liked the Sorting Hat's issues as well as Aidan's moment and Cora's fury. I apologize if the chapter was rushed, I couldn't think of anything else to fit in. I keep rereading my reviews, and I still can't believe how nice you guys are, and how much you guys love this story. And thanks to those who voted on the poll, I have decided that you are right. All I'll say now, is that you guys can count on Cora kicking ass for a while longer than I expected. Please review, hugs and flames are fully appreciated. One final request, and you may be on your way. Please list one actor/actress for your favorite character. I'd actually like to see how you picture them. For you overachievers (that's me) list multiple characters. And now for our latest results:**

**1****st****: SkyeElf: 3pts (2 prologues of Lia, very important)**

**2****nd****:AverytheElf: 2 pts (alec/aves drawings, awesome)**

**3****rd****:Im-the-doctor: 1.5 pts (lex's prologue, must read)**

**4th: clairwe: 1pt (lia drawing)**

**Tied for 5****th****:**

**Kariann-Chan, HideAmongTheAshes, weirdgiraffe, emcee31, Dr. Rae**

**One week left. This is epic. We need competition. Write more, people. I must stop. Talking like this. Oh, merlin's beard. Crap in bucket.**

**Days until D-Day: 7- a very evil prime number. Growl. But that means ONE WEEK!**

**Hugs!**


	32. Bran Castle

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. A lot of fact-checking in this! But it's really sweet, and we get to finally meet Lex's family, and hear her story, which you should know, if you've read im-the-doctor's prologue. Today we have 2 new announcements in terms of the challenge, to be found at the bottom. The race is getting intense in its last week, and I quite like the results from my participants. So, lots of Lex, and Cora in this, but unfortunately, nothing from Hogwarts. Wait until the next chapter for that, it'll be worth it-I promise. Thanks to the Elves and weirdgiraffe for reviewing, you guys get farting hippos named Burt! I apologize if the beginning is slow, but it's filler, at least in the beginning. The end will make you love Christmas all over again! This chapter is for my wonderful father and my best friend, who always listens.**

Cora's POV

There were no words. It was simply…magnificent.

Lex held out a hand to help me up and I seized it tightly, pulling myself to my feet. Groaning at the pain in my back, I staggered around the clearing, trying to regain my balance. The forest was dense, packed with tall pines. Looking around, I noticed only a light dusting of snow on the ground, and Lex stood up, inhaling the crisp, clean air of her homeland.

"The castle is about a mile in…that direction," she said, closing her eyes and finally pointing somewhere to her right.

"Why couldn't we just have appeared in front of the castle?" Mum asked, shaking the snow off her sweater. I shook my head, but Lex simply brushed the snow out of her hair, the red in her eyes shining against the white background.

"The castle has a magic border around it, similar to Hogwarts. You can't have a Portkey within the borders, much less apparate. We'll have to walk from here," she said simply, nodding regally to me. Clearing my mind, I levitated the luggage into the air, and Lex began leading the way through the forest.

"Well, at least this explains how you managed to steal all those brownies as a kid. They just CAME to you, literally," Mum ran a hand through her hair, gesturing to the luggage. I shrugged lightly and turned to her, my eyes wide.

"We'll need to talk. There's more to this than cool powers, I'm afraid," I admitted and she looked at me, her eyes worried.

"I trust your judgment, Cora. Whatever it is, I'll learn to accept it," she stated simply and I grinned widely.

"We're almost there, guys. There's a small wizarding village surrounding the castle, Core, so you can keep the suitcases in the air," Lex groaned, leaning against a tree.

"You okay, dear?" Mum asked, running forward and supporting Lex's tall frame as she slid down the tree.

"I haven't eaten in a while. Cora, where'd you pack those steaks?" she asked and I pulled the plate from my trunk, handing it to her.

"God, that smells amazing. Silverware?" she asked and I felt my cheeks redden dangerously.

"I…um…forgot?" I said sheepishly, and she glared at me, looking down at the food.

"_Dumnezeu!_ You know I can't eat without silverware!" she exclaimed, and Mum glanced down at her, an amused smile crossing her features.

"Dear me, Lex. What on earth did your mother do to make you so well refined? I'd give anything for Cora to have half of your manners!" she exclaimed and Lex snorted, but I spotted the tears in her eyes as she stood up. _What had we said?_

"Best not to linger for too long. These woods are packed with _Roma,_" she said dazedly, walking powerfully away from us. Lex crying was a rare thing, something only brought on by the worst of memories. My curiosity burned deep but I pushed it aside: I'd ask her later.

Finally, we exited the dense forest and my eyes burned from the sudden glare of light. In awe, I glanced at the stone walls, which stood about 15 feet tall, illuminated by an eerie charm.

"Don't touch the walls, they're charmed. No outsider may touch these walls without permission," Lex warned, as Mum raised her hand slowly, dropping it to her side firmly after the warning.

Lex, however, calmly walked over and placed her hand on the wall, upon which a tall gate appeared, swinging open to let her in. Waving her hand politely, she let us walk in first and the breath caught in my throat.

The village was quite small, obviously only home to several families, but the air around us sparkled with a kind of magic I had only felt twice: at Hogwarts and in Diagon Alley. Mum looked around, raising an eyebrow as to my gasps.

"What am I supposed to be seeing here?" she asked, gesturing around.

"Damn, I forgot!" Lex swore, placing her hand on Mum's eyes.

"Eu, Alexandreiana Katerina Dracul, deţinător al Castelului Bran adevărat, vă dau permisiunea de a vedea adevărata sa natură.**(A/N: Translate into: I, Alexandreiana Katerina Dracul, keeper of the true Bran Castle, give you permission to see its true nature)**"

Mum opened her eyes and gasped, looking around the courtyard with wide eyes.

"It's beautiful," she said softly and Lex turned to her with soft eyes.

"It's home," she shrugged, and gestured to the Castle in the distance.

"That's Bran Castle. A five-minute walk," she admitted and we practically strutted through the village, my mum pausing at every nomadic vendor to look at their products.

Finally, we reached the entrance to the Castle. It was immense, and made of grayish-brown stone. The roof sloped like Hogwarts', forming towers and steep angles out of the clay-colored tiles. Tall, elegant windows dotted the sides of the tall walls and the door was made of a dark mahogany, with handles of gold. It was one of the most beautiful places I had ever seen, right after Hogwarts. Smiling devilishly, Lex raised a fist and knocked 5 times against the hard wood.

Gradually, the doors opened and she led us in, taking off her velvety red cloak royally.

Looking around, I saw the grand wooden staircase and the rooms that surrounded the entrance hall.

"Dad? Gabi?" she yelled, walking around the entrance hall nervously.

"There is no need to yell, Alexandreiana. I am right here," I heard a voice say, and I looked at the stairs, gasping at the sight.

A man with long, silver hair stood grandly at the top, his eyes blood-red and his skin white. He had aquiline, carved features and his deep voice was cold, deprived of all emotion. In truth, he was quite handsome, reminding me of what I thought Lucius Malfoy would look like. Slowly, he began descending the stairs, staring at his daughter disapprovingly. The anger flared inside me at his glare, I couldn't help it.

"She just wanted to know where you were. It's not as if she has any control over the fact that she missed you," I retorted and his gaze directed itself to me, those eyes boring deep into my soul.

"I have taught my daughter to suppress her emotions. It is none of your business, young lady, and if you wish to remain here, I suggest you show me some respect," he said, his tone flippant.

"I'll show you respect once you earn it," I snapped and his eyes narrowed dangerously. My focus directed itself on the sensation in my fingertips, preparing itself for battle.

Instead, he threw his head back and laughed loudly, the sounds of mirth ricocheting off the stone walls.

"Finally, Lex, a friend with whom I can openly argue with!" he exclaimed, pulling his daughter into a deep hug and placing a kiss on her head.

"Dad does this all the time. I call it his initiation ceremony. Congrats, Core. You passed!" she congratulated me and my eyes narrowed even further, showing my apparent disbelief.

"I'm Cora," I said, holding out a hand, which he shook fervently. He smiled widely, and a violent chill ran down my spine. His teeth were a brilliant white, and his canines were as sharp as knives, instilling me with a carnal fear.

"I apologize, my dear. I doubt vampires are something one can get accustomed to with ease," he apologized sincerely and I shrugged.

Suddenly, he noticed Mum, and his eyes went wide, his jaw dropping quite considerably. Thankfully, she was too busy looking at the paintings to notice, but he stepped forward and bowed deeply, taking her hand in his.

"Vlad Dracul, ma'am. It is an honor and a pleasure to finally meet you," he said regally, placing a gentle kiss on her wrist. Blushing wildly, she looked at him and gulped deeply, her green eyes settling on his ruby ones.

"Annemarie Rattigan. But you may call me Alina," she replied, her voice a gentle whisper. My eyes went wide with amazement as Lex and I exchanged a glance. Neither of us had ever seen our parents behave in this manner.

"Alina," he said softly, standing back up again. "The light one, the noble one. What a beautiful name." Mum blushed beet-red as a schoolgirl and began trying to fan herself inconspicuously. Finally, she gave in to the heat and removed her sweater, looking down at her feet the entire time. As the sweater came off her shoulders, I felt like screaming. Her neck was littered with dark bruises and scars, obviously the result of having someone's hands around her neck. Once the sweater was off, her sleeves rolled up, ever so slightly, and I saw the purplish shadow across her arms, igniting the fury yet again. Lex's dad didn't seem at all repulsed or angry by the scars. In fact, he placed a gentle finger against one of the scars and gestured to a room down the hall.

"We Romanians have certain remedies that should get rid of those bruises," he said softly and she nodded, walking slowly down the hall. As soon as they were out of ear's reach, Lex turned to me with an odd look in her eyes.

"I haven't seen my dad act like that in years. Not since," she began, but cut herself off, shaking her head.

"Not since what?" I asked, silently cursing my natural curiosity.

"I'll tell you later, once we've settled you in. There's one more person I need you to meet," she said, pulling me into a large room off of the extravagant living room. I breathed deep at the cacophony of smells that hit me: grilling meat and frying potatoes. The smell was enough to make my mouth drool in hunger.

"Hey, Gabi!" Lex said leisurely, sitting down on one of the stools in front of a stone kitchen island. The room was covered in steam, but I spotted a figure walking forward, a wand in their hand.

"Lex! God, I missed you!" I heard someone exclaim and she ran forward, sweeping Lex into a tight hug. Once she pulled away, I noticed that she looked to be about 20, with red-orange hair and bluish-grey eyes. Her features were soft and her figure quite round around the edges, as though she didn't particularly care about what she ate. My respect for her instantly increased and I walked forward, holding out my hand.

"I'm Cora," I said, and she laughed lightly, pulling me into a deep hug. She smelled like food: garlic and other spices.

"Gabi. I'm the caretaker of this place-" she said, but Lex interrupted her with a shake of her head.

"She's like my older sister," Lex said firmly, stealing a handful of French fries from the bowl.

"Then no stealing! Go show Cora her room," Gabi chastised, slapping Lex's hand lightly. On our way out, Lex quickly snuck in and stole another handful, laughing like a madman when Gabi chased her out, brandishing a pot.

"Come on, you'll be bunking with me. I hope you don't mind," she glanced at me, but I smiled brilliantly.

"You probably should have asked me that question BEFORE we became dorm-mates. I'd love to bunk up, this place is a bit big anyways," I admitted and she chuckled darkly, gesturing to a half-open door.

"Our room," she said silently, and I pushed the door open, breathing a sigh of relief at the familiar décor. Two beds lined the walls, and the color scheme obviously reflected a strong Gryffindor pride. I ran my hand over the plush cover of my bed and the beyond-intricate wood patterns against my bedpost. My mind was so enveloped in the simple beauty of the room, that I didn't notice Lex closing the door and sitting cross-legged on the carpet in front of me.

"What do you think?" she asked quietly, her voice much more tentative than usual.

"It's beautiful," I answered sincerely, and she sighed in relief, climbing deftly on my bed and leaning against the wall.

"So, what was it that you couldn't tell me earlier?" I asked carefully, and she sighed, letting her hair fall from the bonds of the rubber band.

"I was hoping you'd forgotten," she chuckled and I raised an eyebrow.

"Come on, Lex. It's as if you don't know me!" I objected and she leaned back, pulling a picture from the table.

"You said last night that I waltzed from the Common Room, bragging about my perfect family. Truth is, I don't have one," she admitted, handing me the picture. The woman was strikingly beautiful, an older replica of Lex. But they were nearly identical, except for Lex's skin and eyes, which she had obviously inherited from her father.

"Your mum," I said in realization and she nodded. Suddenly, I realized that she had never talked about her mother, or her family much for that matter.

"Rosalyn Dracul was my mother. She was murdered by the _Roma_ in the forest, 2 days before my tenth birthday. My dad never got over the shock, he had loved her so much," Lex whispered, the tears running down her face.

"Oh gods! I'm so sorry, Lex. I didn't mean what I said," I pleaded but she waved me down with a pale hand.

"You couldn't have known. Plus-" she began, raising her head, her face lighting up in mirth,

"I haven't seen my father so happy in years, Cora. Usually, he turns into a statue when he meets women, he hasn't left the castle in ages because of it. But he was HAPPY when he saw your mom, Core, and I can't thank you enough for that," she smiled genuinely, and pulled me into a tight hug, the air escaping my lungs in a quick gasp.

"That's why you had such a horrible reaction when Jordan called you a gypsy," I realized and she pulled away, nodding firmly, her sharp canines digging into her plump bottom lip.

"Most people in this world think that Romania gained its name from the Roma, the band of nomadic gypsies that roamed in our country. That's a fact of the ignoramus, Cora, we were named after the Romans, who conquered Dacia. Most Romanians are horribly insulted when they are called gypsies, because of their reputations. Gypsies are considered sluts, thieves and the worst type of people you can associate with. It's not even a blind prejudice, Core, we have our reasons. They're ruthless. And I have my personal reasons," she said firmly, the red in her eyes flashing dangerously. Slowly, I wrapped my arms around her sharp shoulders and I was surprised when she simply leaned back into my shoulder, not pushing away my hug.

"Thank you for telling me," I whispered softly and she turned in my arms, glancing me in the eyes.

"Thank YOU for listening. This secret has been eating me from the inside out. It feels…amazing…to finally have someone that knows," she admitted and I laughed, playfully shoving her off my bed.

"What was that for?" she gasped, sending me a death glare.

"You looked like you needed some cheering up. I thought shoving you off my bed was the best option," I stated simply and she smiled, shaking her head. We changed out of our traveling clothes and into some more comfortable outfits (though Lex still looked ready for the camera). For a while, we simply leaned against my bed, Lex showing me pictures of her mom, and telling me stories about her childhood.

"Lex, Cora! Dinnertime!" Gabi's voice echoed up the stairs of the Castle and we ran down, my jaw dropping as I looked at the feast on the table. Mum was smiling contently, the bruises on her skin greatly diminished. She was still covering up most of her skin with a simple long-sleeve shirt and some jeans, but the blush on her cheeks seemed quite permanent, as Lex's Dad poured her a glass of red wine.

"Holy shit, he hasn't had wine in 3 years. Are you sure your mom's no veela?" Lex asked, a hand covering her mouth. I shook my head and sat down quietly, my eyes stuck on the feast in front of us.

"Since we have guest with us tonight, I thought I might as well go the whole length and prepare a traditional Anglo-Romanian Christmas Feast. I'll just take a moment to explain what everything is. Those are Sarmale, minced meat wrapped with pickled cabbage," Gabi gestured to a plate with multiple green sausages on it.

"A roast Christmas goose, with horseradish sauce on the side," she pointed to the large bird sitting in front of Lex, whose mouth began to water.

"Rare steaks for our vampires," she sighed and Vlad's eyes flashed brightly.

"For the daring of sorts, we have Drob, minced liver and kidney with herbs. It's quite good," she encouraged and I decided to stray away from said dish. Intestines were a bit too much-even for me.

"And finally meat pie," she indicated to the pizza-sized pie with a flourish.

"The sides include French fries, roasted potatoes and various vegetables," she concluded, sitting herself down between Lex and I.

I stood up and raised my glass high, looking at the table invitingly.

"In the words of our dear headmaster, Albus Dumbledore: Tuck In!" I yelled and Lex grabbed nearly everything in sight, piling her plate high. With a sigh, Gabi and I joined in, attempting to actually salvage some of the meat before it all disappeared.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed that Lex's Dad was being a perfect gentleman, placing a bit of everything on my mother's plate for her. The wide-eyed look on her face obviously said that no man had ever treated her this kindly, and the rage in my throat burned again. _If that arse ever tried to lay his hands on her again…_

"Cora? Are you okay?" Lex whispered, glancing at my clenched fists. Mum looked over nervously and I nodded stiffly, muttering something about the bathroom before I left. Surprisingly, it wasn't Lex or my mother that followed me. It was Lex's dad.

"Cora, are you alright?" he asked, sitting on the chair opposite to me in the living room.

"Fine," I replied, the answer escaping my lips more violently than it was meant to.

"If you wish to talk about it-" he began but I looked him in the eye and he stopped. Obviously, they had changed to black, yet again.

"Lex wasn't joking when she said you were special. You're _Cel mai puternica_, a Newid?" he asked and I nodded, sniffing softly.

"Why did you run from the table? Your mother is quite worried, you know," he said earnestly and my eyes scoured his face, looking for a trace of fakeness, a sign that he was screwing with her. But his face showed nothing but pure, raw sincerity and my heart jumped.

"I was thinking about what my dad did to her," I admitted and his hand gripped mine tightly. Thankfully, a shield prevented him from using all of his strength, for the force was bone crushing.

"He was a monster, Cora. What he did to your mother is one of the worst things a man can ever do. It's not your fault," he said and I smiled, a defeated, sad smile.

"You said it yourself, Sir. I'm a bloody Newid and I couldn't help my own mum! Who's going to protect her when I have to go back? She'll go back to living in the alleys of London, trying to hide from that psychopath," I spat angrily, and my hands began shaking with anger. Then I looked at him and sighed deeply.

"All those years, I never saw how miserable she was. For that, I will always blame myself. But today, you made her happier than I've ever seen her. And, back at the table, I looked at her and I realized that no one had EVER made her happy. At least, not like that. For that, I owe you everything," I said solemnly, my eyes fixated at a particularly interesting spot on the ruby carpet. After a long silence, a thin finger lifted my chin and he made me look him in the eyes.

"You owe me nothing, my dear. If anything, I owe you. But I will make you a promise. Your mother will never go unprotected again. Trust me," he said softly, and I raised an eyebrow, the doubt definitely etched on my face.

"Seriously?" I asked and he nodded. I threw my arms around him, and pulled him close, hugging him tight. Laughing softly, he patted my back and pulled away, just as Mum, Lex and Gabi entered, their arms laden with plates of food.

"We thought you might be hungry," Lex said softly, handing me a plate laden with Sarma. Smiling widely, I took the plate from her and sat on the ground, wharfing down the hot food. They tasted good, I decided, the meat nicely accented by the sour cabbage and the cold Sour cream.

"Gabi, I believe it's finally time for us to pull out the old Christmas decorations. Cora, if you'd give us a hand?" he said jovially, his hand slipping from Mum's waist and gesturing to a room down the Hall.

"Gabs can show you everything. Be careful with the tree, it's quite big," he warned and Gabi opened the door, revealing a tall, closet-like room filled by a giant pine tree.

"It's real, you know. Lex's mum placed a charm on it before she died. He hasn't placed any decorations up for years," she mused, backing out of my way. Unfortunately, I had no idea on how to move this thing out of here. Closing my eyes, I shrunk the tree so that it would fit in my hand and levitated it out, placing it gently in the center of the living room. I willed it to grow back to normal size, and I backed away slowly, admiring the tree. It looked as though it had just been cut down, every needle still reeking of the forest.

After several more trips, the decorations had been pulled out of the closet and we began decorating, Lex and I focusing on the top of the tree, which was only reachable through my powers. I levitated us up, and we'd decorate every branch, stealing glimpses at our parents down below. Mum was trying to reach an upper branch, when Vlad came behind her and gently lifted her up by the waist, so she could reach the outcropping. Though her face blushed a vivid scarlet, she continued decorating as though nothing had happened, though she permitted herself occasional glances at his handsome face.

The hours passed into the night, and we finally finished, Lex and I severely intoxicated from Gabi's presumably non-alcoholic Eggnog. Even Mum had achieved a light pinkish tinge, as Lex's Dad showed her the contents of the library, his hand "accidentally brushing" hers every minute or so. Gabi, on the other hand, was fully passed out on the couch, her glass of Eggnog threatening to slip.

"Hey, Lex," I mumbled, as we bid our parents goodnight, heading up the stairs to bed.

"Yeah, Core?" she asked, leaning against the wall to steady herself.

"They seem happy," I answered, and she smiled, pulling me into a hug.

"I've always wanted a baby sister," she grumbled into my hair and I pulled away, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"More like another older sister. I'm older than you, remember?" I told her, as she pushed our door open.

"Oh, sod urgh," she groaned, falling onto her bed and beginning to snore loudly, rattling the bedposts.

Mum was finally happy. That was the best Christmas present ever.

**A/N: So, how'd I do? Was the Vlad/ Alina thing too much? I'm sorry that it happened fast, but think of it this way. They're both still in severe pain, maybe they just need happiness, at least for a little while. Everyone deserves to be happy, so don't go being all critical about it! I love them! Sorry about that, but tell me what you though of Lex's story and her home and family. I love them, personally, but her dad is so perfect and such a gentleman. Just like my dad, which is why I smile like a Chesire Cat whenever he goes to my mum! Please leave a review, hugs and flames are welcome. And now, for the challenge news you know you've been waiting for. My eager beaver, the Elves have each submitted one story, SkyeElf on Zach and AverytheElf on Seth/Zoe. They're both excellent works, so I encourage you to check them out. And thank you both for showing such earnest enthusiasm. It makes me feel warm and cuddly on the inside!**

**1****st****: SkyeElf: 4.5pts (2 prologues of Lia, 1 prologue of Zach:bloody brilliant)**

**2****nd****:AverytheElf: 3.5 pts (alec/aves drawings, Seth/Zoe prologue – Honeydukes worthy sweetness!)**

**3****rd****:Im-the-doctor: 1.5 pts (lex's prologue, must read)**

**4th: clairwe: 1pt (lia drawing)**

**Tied for 5****th****:**

**Kariann-Chan, HideAmongTheAshes, weirdgiraffe, emcee31, Dr. Rae**

**Less than 1 week people, and people are getting into this! Come on weirdgiraffe! You know you want to write your own prologue! And im-the-doctor and clairwe have disappeared, will it be a battle to the bitter end for our Elves? Avery, will you take this beating? Skye, will you accept the challenge? Kidding, but it sounds cool in the epic Quidditch voice!**

**Days until D-Day: 2x3 or 6. This week, I've decided to post cool facts about our numbers, because I'm a nerd.**

**Six facts about 6:**

**6 is the only number that is both the sum and product of 3 consecutive positive numbers( in English, six is the only number that is the sum and product of 3 numbers in a row, which are in this case 1, 2 , and 3)**

**There are 6 basic trigonometric functions**

**A cube has 6 faces**

**Six is 9 upside down**

**All cells in a beehive have 6 sides**

**All Simpsons characters have 6 fingers (check, seriously, but thumbs don't count)**

**Hugs!**


	33. Erised

**A/N: Hey! Sorry for the delay, but Independence Day is impossible! Especially if you're cleaning. Finally, your long-awaited chapter, with several spicy bits thrown in the middle. Also, in regards to the challenge, I'd like to congratulate our winner SkyeElf, who won the challenge with a whopping 7 points (4 stories and a drawing). In second place, we have AverytheElf, with an equally sweet 3.5 points. Well done you guys! Expect some PM's regarding your reward. To the rest of y'all: WELL DONE! I was overwhelmed by your response, and am beyond honored. Thanks to the Elves, im-the-doctor, weirdgiraffe, loveforbooks and HideAmongTheAshes for reviewing! Your next chapter awaits, this time dedicated to my bro and to my amazing parents.**

Cora's POV

"Wake up! Cora, get your ass up!" Lex yelled, violently shaking me awake until I fell off the bed in a heap of blanket.

"No…" I groaned, placing the pillow over my head. My Newid senses were severely screwed up, and I was afraid a single move would cause an accidental death by impalement.

"Cora Alice Rattigan, get your lazy ass out of bed this instant! It's Christmas Morning!" Lex shrieked, the effect of the Eggnog obviously non-existent. Well, whoopee for her. I had a hangover at the age of 13, and it sucked. My senses were dulled, and I was nauseated.

"Calm down, Lex. She probably had the Eggnog," Gabi mused, placing a glass full of a sickly green liquid next to my head. The stench was absolutely horrific, and the entire contents of last night's dinner threatened to make reappearance.

"Cora, I'm sorry. I must've accidentally poured alcohol into the Eggnog when I was making it. Any creature with vampire blood is quite immune to the after-effects of alcohol, so I usually don't alter the recipe. I forgot, you're fully human, and our mix is quite potent. This is a hangover potion, and I bid you to drink it, despite its horrid smell," Gabi said softly, patting my head in a sisterly manner. Desperate for anything to reverse the effects of the alcohol, I sat up violently and chugged the brew in one gulp, ignoring the vile taste. The effects were, thankfully, instantaneous.

My intense migraine disappeared and my senses returned to normal. I blinked my eyes rapidly, willing them to focus on the room around me. Gabi was standing over me, her soft features worried while Lex stood further back, her arms crossed in obvious annoyance, but her features bearing some kind of worry.

"Gabi, what in the name of Merlin did you put in that Eggnog?" I mumbled, mussing my hair, which felt like straw under my hand.

"It's an old Romanian recipe. We use vodka," she explained, shrugging her shoulders sheepishly. I groaned and stood up, the bedcovers making themselves at my command.

"Come on, Cora! It's Christmas!" Lex exclaimed, throwing several articles of clothing into my face. She seemed outrageously excited, like a little kid at the thought of presents.

"But my mum, and your dad, they won't be awake yet," I objected, nevertheless dressing in the yoga pants and blue sweatshirt she had chucked at me.

"Ah, there, my dear Cora, is where you are wrong. Gabi woke them up several minutes ago, and well…" she stopped there, her face turning a bright red at the thought. My muscles seized up and I turned to Gabi, who had suddenly become quite interested in the invisible lint on the carpet.

"Go on, Gabs. Tell her," Lex urged and Gabi looked up, her peach cheeks tinged with a brilliant burgundy.

"I woke up early this morning, to make coffee and breakfast. 'Course, I went in the living room, because I was too wasted off the eggnog last night to clean, but that wasn't what surprised me. What surprised me was how I found your parents," she admitted, collapsing, red-faced, on my bed.

"How?" I whirled at her, my eyes dark. Had he DARED to do ANYTHING? After what I told him? The ass!

"Calm down, Cora. You're scaring her," Lex said softly, placing a comforting on my shoulder. I nodded, but remained standing, my arms crossed tightly in front of my chest. Gabi gulped, but continued.

"Honestly, it probably was the sweetest sight I'd ever seen. They were both sleeping on the couch, still in clothes from the night before. Mr. Dracul looked more peaceful than I had ever seen him, his arms wrapped protectively around your mum, whose back was turned to him. I think they just fell asleep there last night," Gabi concluded softly, monitoring the expressions on my face closely.

"What did my mom look like?" I whispered, looking her in the eyes. Gabi smiled, her plump lips pulling up slightly at the edges and stood up, wrapping me in her soft arms.

"She looked happy, at peace. As though nothing mattered, as though nothing could hurt her," she replied and I hugged her back at this revelation. My mother was happy, and that was the only thing that mattered. Finally, I pulled away to look at Lex, whose face was unreadable. After all, her mother hadn't left them willingly. She had been murdered viciously, and this new situation might not rest well with her.

"Lex, how're you doing?" I asked and she looked at me, her eyes shining with tears, but a smile gracing her features.

"Sisters?" she asked, holding out her arms to the two of us. I ran forward without any hesitation and hugged her tightly, despite the fact that she was at least one head taller than me.

"You already know the answer to that question. It was answered the moment you stayed with me, not running away," I smiled and she laughed, tousling my hair.

"Your parents are downstairs, making breakfast. Cora, your mum insisted I not touch the kitchen this morning. Something about the food tasting better if she made it herself," Gabi muttered, a forlorn look on her face. She obviously missed the food and the kitchen itself. Lex looked positively depressed at the thought, being a great fan of Gabi's cooking.

"Don't worry, that's her motto. Everything tasted better to her if she makes it, but she has a tendency to overcook things," I whispered coyly and we laughed, the noise bouncing off the windows.

"What are we waiting for? I want to open my presents!" Lex yelled suddenly, running out the door, her childlike attitude returning. Thankfully, I placed a shield down the hall, so she simply rebounded, not being able to go any farther until we caught up.

"Joykill," she muttered, as Gabi and I grabbed her arms firmly and led her to the kitchen.

But Lex had different ideas. At the door to the kitchen, she shook us off quietly and placed a finger to her lips, crouching down in what she called a "spying" position. Exchanging a wary glance, we copied her movements and entered the kitchen stealthily, wanting to discover the sight inside.

My mother was in front of the stove, her hair flying haywire around her face as she cooked the sausage in the pan. Lex's dad was next to the counter attempting to mix together an omelet, but failing epically, to my mum's amusement. Depositing the cooked sausage onto a platter, she turned off the fire and moved behind him, gripping his hands in her own. Gently, she showed him how to properly crack an egg, surreptitiously placing a light kiss on his cheek as she pulled away, focusing her attention on the potatoes behind her. Wanting to see the result of another interaction, I glanced at Lex and she nodded over to the raw bacon. Clearing my mind, I placed the pan back onto the fire (courtesy of Lex) and plopped the bacon in quite ungracefully. Naturally, Mum noticed almost immediately, and ran over to the stove, desperately trying to fix the near-burnt bacon. Due to the power of Lex's signature blue flames, however, the bacon became burnt and she turned off the fire, swearing profusely.

"I ruined the bacon! Dammit!" she yelled, taking an exasperated sip of coffee. Her face was sour, I knew, but that was because she hated messing up anything – I had inherited my obsession for perfection from her.

"Come on, Alina, lighten up. Let me see," Lex's dad said softly, his eyes glinting softly with a light that I couldn't place. Slowly, he reached into the pan and pulled out a blackened piece, shaking the hot oil off, his face comical with fake disgust. Finally, he stuck the piece whole in his mouth and chewed slowly, like a food critic sampling a dish. All the while, mum watched him closely, a true smile on her face at the lengths he was going to in order to make her laugh.

After a while, he swallowed and leaned over the counter, placing a near-white hand on her face.

"The bacon is perfect, angel," he said softly, pressing his lips to her forehead.

"Girls, it is usually polite to greet one's loved ones in the morning," he continued loudly and we stood up straight, our faces pink in embarrassment. Mum turned around and smiled widely at our presence, rushing over to pull each of us in a big hug. Mr. Dracul, however, walked over to us, a stern expression on his face. His eyes twinkled merrily, so I relaxed, despite their intimidating color.

"I think…you must eat all of that bacon considering you and Lex so kindly burnt it," he growled, a malicious smile on his face.

"But…how did you know?" Lex frowned, attempting to look innocent.

"Really, sweetheart? You've been making those same blue flames since you were 3. I'd recognize them anywhere," he explained, pulling her into a hug, and then moving on to me, raising an eyebrow at the wide smile on my face.

"Can we please open presents now?" Lex begged, jumping up and down, her features morphing into a perfect puppy face.

"Well, I don't know…" Lex's dad smiled mischievously, taking a sip of coffee. My mum punched him in the arm, but intertwined her fingers in his nonetheless.

"Don't be so mean, Vlad. Of course we can, my dear," Mum said kindly and Lex grabbed my arm, pulling me violently into the Living Room. The sight that greeted us was nothing short of magical.

The stone walls were lined with festive wreaths and golden garlands, fully embodying the House that Lex and I belonged to. In the corner of the room stood the tree, a full 10ft tall, decorated with a multitude of mismatched ornaments that nevertheless blended in to create the most magnificent Christmas Tree I had ever seen. At its feet lay a plethora of Christmas presents, more than I had could have imagined. Mum had worked hard, I knew, but most of the money she earned was drunk down the drain by my father, so I never experienced such an abundant gift-giving at Christmas.

Immediately, the child in my heart began jumping excitedly with joy and I hurried over to the couch in front of the tree, Lex being pulled behind me. The gifts seemed to be color-coded, no doubt because of my Mum, and I turned around, glancing at her inquisitively.

"Which ones are whose?" I asked and she grinned, her green-grey eyes smiling as she stepped forward, never loosening her grip from Lex's Dad.

"The blue packages are yours, the red ones Lex's, Gabi's are purple, Vlad's are silver and mine are green," she replied, and I had to conceal a snicker. Did she know that she unknowingly formed a Slytherin pair between her and Vlad?

Not waiting another second, Lex dived into the pile and began handing out the first presents, placing a large, rectangular one in my hand. I ripped it open and gasped as I saw the leather binding. The book was immense, bound in dark leather, with Ancient Runes stamped into the front cover. Despite the fact that I was, admittedly, one of the best in the school at Runes, for my level, I couldn't make out almost any of the strange markings, so I turned to Mum for help, raising an eyebrow. She smiled and knelt by my side, running her hand over the lamb-soft cover.

"This isn't a gift from us. Dumbledore wrote to me several days ago, explaining your new…destiny, per se. Who'd have thunk it, my child being the savior of this world?" she laughed silently as Gabi stared in awe at the book.

"That book belonged to Morgana le Fay. It was her theory-journal, in which she wrote of every theory, no matter how small. For many years, Dumbledore has kept the book safe, just as the Headmaster before him. It belongs to you now, sweetheart," she finished softly, brushing the hair off my face. Ignoring the presents around me, I looked at her, my eyes watering at the thought of the task before me.

"Mum, I'm scared," I whispered, looking down ashamedly. Without a word, she pulled me into a hug, her citrusy scent overpowering my senses and reinvigorating my mind.

"Courage is not determined by your fear. It is determined by how you overcome those fears and your determination to do what is right. Are you telling me that you are going to crawl into a corner and cower while you have the power to save our world?" Vlad said wisely, his red eyes shining knowingly. I shook my head violently, and he smiled widely, his sharp ivory teeth gleaming in the light of morning.

"Never," I promised determinedly, and he held out his hand, pulling me to my feet.

"Then I have a present for you," he nodded, walking over to a cabinet I had not noticed before and pulling a small bag out of the top drawer. His face looked somewhat apprehensive, but he placed the bag in my hand and closed my fingers around it, his eyes regarding mine severely.

"Only open this bag at a time of great need, when you are in need of assistance. It is an ancient summoning spell, given to the most powerful witch or wizard of the time by the leader of the Vampiric race. As the current leader, I give you, _Cel Mai Puternic_, the power to summon the entire Vampire population in your hour of need. You must know, however, that the spell has never been used since its creation, by the great Cassandra herself," he stated nobly, wrapping his arm possessively around Mum's waist yet again. She melted in his grip, morphing to his touch as though she had always belonged there. And maybe, just maybe, she had.

After several hours of gift giving, Lex and I spotted a smaller pile of presents, each wrapped with vastly different papers. Mum shrugged, indicating her confusion at the appearance of the presents, so I picked the top one and read the messy handwriting on the note, glancing at Lex.

"Lex, it's from Jack," I whispered softly, but Vlad's eyes narrowed dangerously at the sound of Jack's name.

"Who is…Jack?" he asked venomously, his free hand clenching into a tight fist. Feeling Lex freeze next to me, I decided to answer him myself.

"Jack is a friend of ours, and our Quidditch captain as well," I answered vaguely, not revealing the specifics of their relationship, something that Vlad picked up on right away.

"Yet he did not send you a present, Cora. What is his _relationship_ with my daughter?" he asked, baring his teeth out of instinct. Even Gabs backed away, feigning sudden hunger.

"Um…I don't think-" I stuttered but Lex cut me off, standing up defiantly, her hair flying around her head wildly, and her eyes as hard as stone.

"Jack is my boyfriend, Dad, and there's nothing you can do about that," she said firmly, the flames on the candles flaring violently. Vlad simply chuckled and pulled Mum closer to him, leaning his head against hers, his eyes sad all of a sudden.

"Sometimes it's quite frightening how much you remind me of your mother, Lexi," he chuckled softly, and my Mum placed a gentle kiss against his cheek, trying to console him. Smiling happily, he squeezed her hand tightly, and brushed his lips against her knuckles.

"How old is he?" Vlad asked, his eyebrows raising suddenly, and Lex blanched at the question. He had brought up the one topic she hated discussing.

"He's…fifteen, dad. But it's honestly not as bad as it sounds, and please don't go on a rampage. I seriously like him," she pleaded as his eyes flashed scarlet, the irises completely disappearing.

"Fine. However, I require meeting him quite soon, if you even dare to hope to see him again," he whispered dangerously, collapsing back on the sofa. Lex nodded happily, and tore the paper apart, dropping the package promptly as she saw the gift inside. Bending down slowly, she pinched it between two thin fingers and looked at the bracelet as though it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, despite its simplicity. The gift was made of brown braided leather, bearing three beads, two of which were engraved with a Celtic knot. The top one bore a rune encrusted in bright red stone, the craftsmanship intricate and beautiful. Lex smiled softly, and closed the bracelet upon her wrist, lifting the note to her eyes.

"_Falar o meu nome e eu estarei contigo, para sempre_,"she read softly, and the stones lit brightly, creating an eerie red glow. Several seconds later, it diminished and she smiled brightly, as though she had seen something important.

Collecting our presents, we ran upstairs to dump them on our beds before walking back down, greeted by the smell of roasting meat.

"There you are," Vlad greeted us, gesturing to the chairs at the table. We sat down and stared at the food, which looked scrumptious, though not as extravagant as yesterday.

"Cora, Vlad and I have been talking, and he has offered a most gracious proposition," Mum began, and I choked on my bite of Sarma. _No, it can't be. They've only known each other for a day!_

"Considering our more…recent…circumstances, he has generously offered us his home. At least until we find a new place," she added nervously, ignoring Vlad's downcast face at her words.

"Dad, are you okay?" Lex asked, bluntly bringing her father into the conversation.

"Why wouldn't I be?" he answered lightly, but stabbed his fork into the Drob with unwonted venom, leaving 3 small holes in the plate.

"Because you just stabbed a plate," she commented, gesturing to the holes in the white surface. He shook his head and stood up, grabbing a new plate.

"Fine, Alexandreiana, I will admit that I am not, as you so frivolously put, "okay." I was hoping to be considered more than just a rebound. Apparently, I misunderstood," he spat venomously, his eyes watering as they looked at Mum.

"I was a fool, Alina. Pardon for wasting your time with my schoolboy flirtations. You and your daughter are still welcome at my home, of course, but I promise that you will not be seeing much more of me," he said and she stood up, grabbing his hand firmly, her face radiating compassion. Slowly, he turned his head to hers and Mum pressed her lips to his fervently, much to the shock of the rest of us. Lex gasped and nearly fell off her chair, while Gabs simply sighed contently and watched them with a dreamy-eyed expression. I laughed merrily at the look of shock on Lex's face as I pulled her to her feet.

Our parents remained entangled for several minutes, before pulling apart, equal expressions of adoration on their faces.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, brushing his hair to the side. He nodded and hugged her tightly, the expression of need on his face undeniable. She pulled away and gestured to the table, her stomach growling in agreement. Pulling her chair out, he sat her at the table before sitting down himself, and wolfing down a near-rare steak in under a minute. Laughing loudly, Lex and I sat back down at the table, and I allowed myself the brief luxury of hope. Hope that shone brighter than the stars, and brighter than anything I had ever seen.

Lia's POV

I woke up panting, a light sheen of sweat on my face. The nightmare had been dreadful, again involving the death of my newly discovered baby brother at the hands of the horrid snake-man. It wasn't a vision, so it obviously wouldn't occur, but I couldn't help but think it meant something. Shaking slightly, I got to my feet, pulled on a black t-shirt over my tattered jeans and stuffed my sketchpad, pencil and wand in my pocket, hurriedly sneaking out of the Dormitory.

The hallways were thankfully empty, since many of the Castle's occupants had decided to leave for home. I walked up the moving stairs to the Astronomy Tower, a place that gave me an excellent view of the lake, perfect for a sketch. Ever since that fiasco with Isabella several weeks ago, this had become my place to think, not needing to worry about prefects ever since Jess had taught me a Disillusionment Charm. Sitting against the cool stone, I began sketching the windows absentmindedly, not paying much attention to the scribbles on my sketchpad.

Slowly, I placed my materials on the ground and closed my eyes, needing to see my brother again. The familiar feeling of being pulled overtook my senses and I landed more gracefully in the hallway in front of the library. Suddenly, a figure ran past me, though it was invisible, with Filch following close behind. I decided to run after the figure, which I guessed was Harry until we hit a dead end, with a door at the end. Hurriedly, he opened the door, and I followed, slipping in just as he shut the door.

The room was small, but empty, except for a tall mirror in the center of the floor. Looking to my right, I saw Harry take off some kind of cloak, letting it simply drop to the floor. It looked as though it was woven from water and I shivered pronouncedly. I hated the water, despite my constant proximity to it.

He stepped forward, adjusting his constantly crooked glasses, to look at the Mirror. Glancing up he read the inscription at the top, _"__Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi," _and raised a hesitant eyebrow before taking a final step forward into the center of the Mirror's view. He gasped loudly, and raised his hand, as though he cold reach someone in the mirror. Quickly, I followed him and gasped silently at the sight. Around him stood the entire Potter/Evans family, going back at least 2 generations. Among the crowd of people, I recognized our grandmother Dorea, and Harry's guardians as well as our parents. Lily was staring at him kindly, placing a soft hand on his shoulder as James adjusted his glasses absentmindedly. However, it wasn't any of these people that attracted my attention. Instead, it was the person to Harry's immediate left. It was me.

My hair was falling to my shoulders as I smiled widely and laughed, ruffling his hair. James roared with laughter while Lily shook her head, her eyes roaming over her family protectively. When he saw me ruffle his hair, Harry grinned widely and patted his hair down, looking at my figure in the mirror.

"Who are you?" he whispered, but my Mirror-self just continued messing with her little brother, punching him gently, but hugging him close. In that second, I realized what he was seeing: the one thing he wanted, more than anything. And he wanted me, an older sister.

Taking a deep breath, I turned to him and focused my mind on making myself appear.

"Harry?" I whispered, but he continued looking into the mirror. _Shit, he hadn't heard me!_

I breathed again, deciding to go with a different method.

"HARRY!" I screamed and he jumped violently, his face a mask of fear as he pointed his wand where I was standing.

"Who's there?" he exclaimed, and I stepped forward, almost jumping up and down with giddiness when I saw my reflection in his round glasses. His face blanched, and he took off his glasses and rubbed them furiously, slamming them on with a fearsome force.

"I'm insane, aren't I?" he asked and I laughed, shaking my head.

"Not unless you want to be, bro," I joked, and he stepped back, raising his wand even higher.

"What did you just call me?" he stuttered, colliding painfully with the desk behind him.

"Come on, Harry. No brother of mine can be THAT thick. You saw the Mirror," I explained, gesturing to the item behind me. He seemed to consider this for a second before stepping back into the Mirror's view to look at the image.

"You're my sister?" he whispered silently, his eyes gleaming with hope. Biting my lip, I leaned against the wall, letting my hair fall over my face.

"You could say that," I answered, and he rushed forward, pointing his wand at me threateningly.

"Yes or No?" he demanded firmly and I tried to throw him back using a shield, which didn't work. _Of course not, dumbass. You're not Lia in this world, you're Alesea!_ Instead, I pulled out my wand and pointed it at him, placing my famous glare on my face.

"Stop trying to threaten me. I'm two years older than you, dumbass, and I have more training. Will you let me explain?" I asked and he bit his lip before nodding, and pulling out a Chocolate Frog from his pocket, throwing it to me. Naturally, I dove for it but missed epically, having to scrounge on the floor to pick it up. Harry was laughing heartily at all this until I glared at him again, which seemed to shut him up permanently.

"In this world, I was your sister. I AM your sister. But I don't live in this world. It's not my home," I explained and he nearly choked on a piece of Chocolate Frog.

"In my world, I am Lia Munroe. Several weeks ago, I began seeing you, in visions. Soon, I found out that I was a Traveler, a person whose soul is split between 2 worlds," I continued and he nodded shakily, twirling his wand like a baton.

"Harry, tonight was not the first time I've seen you. I saw the beginning. Voldemort," I finished and he looked at me, a stony gaze in his eyes as he chewed his last piece of Chocolate.

"You saw Mum and Dad get killed?" he asked, his emerald eyes looking at the Mirror with a carnal hunger.

"Yes. It was the most horrible thing I had to watch," I replied and he stood up, his wand at my head again.

"WHY IN THE NAME OF MERLIN DIDN'T YOU DO ANYTHING?" he yelled, the tears now streaming from his eyes. I hid my face behind my hair as he continued yelling.

"ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT THERE WAS SOMEONE ELSE WHO SAW THE MURDER, BUT DIDN'T DO ANYTHING? YOU COWARD! HAVE YOU ANY IDEA WHAT I'VE LIVED WITH THE DURSLEYS?" he screamed, pointing his wand accusingly at my face. I looked at him sadly and compassion crossed his face, before being replaced by anger.

"Harry, I tried, really, I did. But I couldn't do anything," I pleaded, standing up, finding myself actually taller than him. He nodded silently and wiped his eyes with his sleeve, throwing his wand to the side.

"Some good magic is, huh? I can't save my parents, hell, not even you could!" he exclaimed, gesturing to me angrily. I shook my head violently and placed my hand on his shoulder, surprised when he didn't shake it off.

"Magic is an amazingly beautiful thing, Harry. Don't curse it. Just because we're wizards, does not mean our lives are perfect. Far from it," I said softly and he looked at me, a small smirk gracing his face.

"You said your name in…your….world was Lia. What's your name in this world?" he asked softly, as I nibbled on my Chocolate Frog.

"Alesea. Alesea Carien Potter," I replied and he nodded, mussing my hair as I had done his.

"Merry Christmas, Lee," he whispered, holding out his arms tentatively.

"Merry Christmas, Harry," I grinned and hugged him tightly, his crooked glasses pressing into my shoulder. After I pulled away, I grinned widely and made to sit down before he gasped as my figure began disappearing from sight again, traversing the boundaries of our worlds.

**A/N: How'd I do? I hope you guys liked Harry and his sister! Please leave a review, hugs and flames are welcome. The Holidays are unfortunately going to come to an end for our lovely characters, and then back to Hogwarts! Without any further ado, the final results of the challenge:**

**1****st****: SkyeElf: 7pts (4 prologues of Lia/Zach, 1 picture of Aidan)**

**2****nd****:AverytheElf: 3.5 pts (alec/aves drawings, Seth/Zoe prologue – Honeydukes worthy sweetness!)**

**3****rd****:Im-the-doctor: 1.5 pts (lex's prologue, must read)**

**4th: clairwe: 1pt (lia drawing)**

**Tied for 5****th****:**

**Kariann-Chan, HideAmongTheAshes, weirdgiraffe, emcee31, Dr. Rae**

**Congratulations to everyone who participated! I'm so grateful for having such amazing reviewers. Any suggestions are always welcome, and I may even decide to post another challenge in some time, if you guys are man enough for it! I hope you didn't mind my fluffy banter at the beginning-it was needed for the holidays. Though not everyone's holiday was this good-oh, dear! I've said too much.**


	34. Fallen Angels

**A/N: Hey! So the Holidays are drawing to a close, but not everything is as it seems in the Hogwarts walls. In this chapter we have Lia/Zach and Alec/Aves drama, and not the good kind. I have to apologize to im-the-doctor, for an incorrect calculation on the challenge. She actually submitted 2 stories, so her points accumulate to 3, still keeping her in third. Sorry Morgane, please forgive me. Thanks to the SkyeElf, Annika(great name), HideAmongTheAshes and im-the-doctor for reviewing the previous chapter. This chapter is for my friend Hannah and for my outrageously supportive BFFs Leanna and Morgane.**

Zach's POV

I had been laying quietly on the couch in front of the fireplace when I saw her.

Holding my breath, I watched Lia ascend the stairs from her Dormitory, a sketchpad in her hand, as always. She seemed jumpy, but exasperated, as though the Common Room itself were suffocating her. Lighting her wand mutely, she stepped out of the Portrait Hole and into the Corridor, walking briskly toward the Great Staircase.

I jumped off the couch and grabbed my wand, following her stealthily, as I had learned to do back in Cape Town. Even there, I had loved her. From the minute I had spotted her behind the giant pile of books. We became friends because we were freaks. But I couldn't help but wonder if that would change, now that I was considered normal. Well, not exactly normal, but not a freak, as paraxenes with my abilities were accepted here. Yet Lia was still an outsider, just like in South Africa. Though, this time, she was keeping secrets from _me_, her _beste vriend._ Something we'd vowed never to do.

Finally, she stopped, in front of the balcony on the Astronomy Tower. There, she leaned against the wall, balancing her sketchpad on her thin knees, drawing the Black Lake absentmindedly. _Of course she's drawing. _

After a while, she sighed and let her sketchpad fall to the ground, along with her pencil. She sat cross-legged on the ground and took a deep breath, as though preparing herself for something. Then she shut her eyes, and her figure became rigid, as though she were made of stone.

"Lia!" I yelled, running over to shake her violently. She didn't budge and I tried everything, from punching her arm to casting _Rennervate!_ Nothing that I did seemed to wake her, so I simply sat by her side, not daring to leave her.

After a good half-hour, she awoke, gasping for air.

"Merlin's Beard, Lia! Are you okay?" I asked and she looked around, blanching white once she saw my face.

"Zach? What are you doing here?" she muttered, attempting to hide the joy in her eyes with a confused frown.

"I should ask you the same thing," I replied, crossing my arms in mock anger. Unfortunately, she didn't take it that way.

"Last time I checked, Zach, you weren't my father. I am at perfectly to break the rules if I wish to," she retorted, standing up angrily, her sketchpad in her shaking hand. Just as she was about to leave, I grabbed her hand and stood up, looking into those beautiful light green eyes.

"Lee, please tell me what's going on. I followed you from the Common Room, and I saw everything. Will you please tell me what in the name of Merlin is happening to you?" I begged and she looked down, shaking her head.

"Why not?" I demanded and she pulled her thin wrists out of my hands deftly, letting her hair cover her face.

"Because of what it means. You yourself said, Zach, that I was different. Like no other witch you had ever met," she began and I smirked as I recalled that conversation. As always, I had wound up at the receiving end of one of her hexes, and my face hadn't gone back to normal until a week later.

"Do you remember that argument I had with Iz several days ago, when she said I didn't belong anywhere?" she mumbled, running her skeletal fingers through her thick, dark hair. I smelled lemongrass and pencil lead, her own unique scent, and I inhaled deeply.

"How could I forget? That's the only time I've ever seen you cry because of something some bitch said. I wanted to kill her after you ran out," I said softly, and she raised her head softly, the familiar grin on her face. It quickly dissipated, however, being replaced by the frown that broke my heart.

"The reason I cried and ran, was because she was right," she stated simply, looking at me hesitantly, as though she expected me to agree with her.

"That's bullshit, Lia. You belong here," I retorted and she shook her head vigorously, an exasperated smile on her face.

"You don't understand," she exclaimed, turning away, but I ran ahead and stood in front of her.

"So help me to," I pleaded, my eyes wide.

"No, you'll run. And I don't blame you. I wouldn't want to stay with me. But you're my best friend, Zach, I NEED you," she said firmly and I shook my head, placing a palm in front of her.

"I may be a Slytherin, but I chose to be one. Don't forget I'm half-Gryffindor as well. I vowed the day we first became friends that I'd never run away, no matter what. Lee, I swear to you, I won't leave you," I replied and she bit her lip, until the skin broke and blood spilled. Silently, she nodded, and we sat in one of the window alcoves, as she brushed back her hair and set down her wand.

"When I first came here, I began having these weird visions, all centered around this one kid. Harry Potter," she began and I nodded, deciding not to tell her that Aidan had showed me her vast collection of sketches.

"My first vision showed the death of his parents. It was horrid, I watched this snake-man, Voldemort, just kill them with a nonchalant flick of his wand. And I couldn't do anything, no matter how hard I tried. But Baby Harry, he survived. Voldemort couldn't kill him," she wiped a tear from her eye at the thought. I took her tiny hand in mine and squeezed it gently, telling her that I wouldn't go anywhere.

"After a while, I found that he could hear me sometimes, and I even managed to move objects and such. That's when Aidan found out and he saw the drawings in my dormitory," she said sadly, obviously recalling that moment.

"He was angry at first, because I hadn't told him, but then he gave me the best piece of advice. He told me to tell a trusted teacher. So I did. I went and told Professor Andersonn," she explained and I chuckled. No wonder she and the Professor were so close.

"Anyways, Jess took me to see Dumbledore. And that's when I found out," she finished, rubbing her eyes and sighing deeply.

"Zach, last chance to back out. It doesn't matter to me if you don't want to know," she said and I shook my head, making her look me in the eyes.

"All or nothing, Lee," I joked and she punched me in the arm.

"I'm a Traveler. My spirit is split between two worlds, this one and Harry's, hence my visions. You used to joke that I didn't look anything like my family. That's because I look like my other self. In this world, I am Lia Munroe, but in the other, I am Alesea Potter, the older sister of the Boy Who Lived," she looked at me nervously and I smiled brilliantly, pulling her into a tight hug.

"That doesn't make you a freak, Lee. That makes you unique, extraordinary. But you still haven't explained to me why Iz's comment sent you crying," I whispered against her hair and she pulled away slightly, looking away.

"They were true. My spirit, my SOUL, is split between two places. I don't fully belong anywhere!" she exclaimed, her cheeks turning red. I shook my head and pulled her closer, so her head was resting at the bottom of my neck.

"I beg to differ, Black Widow," I said softly, leaning my chin on her soft bush of hair.

"Really?" she asked and I nodded, wrapping my arms around her tightly.

"_Ja._ You belong right here, in my arms," I replied and she hugged me tightly before pulling away, her eyes softening at my expression.

"Wipe that sappy look off your face, Zach. It doesn't suit you," she bit and I laughed. _Still the same old Lia._

"Or what?" I challenged, a malicious smirk crossing my lips. Her eyes narrowed dangerously and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I'll wipe it off for you," she answered simply, and I took a step forward, letting my dark hair fall over my eyes.

"I'd like to see you try," I snapped back and she sneered lightly, an adorable crease forming above her eyebrows. Shrugging lightly, she turned away, before suddenly turning to me and leaning up on her toes to reach my lips. She smiled widely and pressed her lips against mine, weaving her fingers through my messy hair. I smiled and returned the kiss enthusiastically, my full lips working frantically against her thin ones and she pulled me closer, until we were only a hair's breadth apart. She tasted like peaches and chocolate, but at that moment nothing had ever tasted better.

"Finally," I whispered against her lips and she smiled before slowing the pace, kissing me softly and adoringly. After a while, we pulled apart and I just stood there, holding her to me, afraid to let her go.

"Zach?" she said, looking up at me and smiling widely.

"Yes, Black Widow?" I asked and she grinned at her old nickname before placing a hand on my cheek.

"Thank you. Thank you for not running," she said and I shook my head.

"Never," I assured her and she gripped my hand tightly, as we walked back to the Common Room we now called Home.

Alec's POV

I exited the Great Hall with a wide grin on my face. Today the students returned to Hogwarts from the vacation, and I planned to surprise Aves in front of Ravenclaw Tower with her present. After several days of heated debate between Will and I, we had finally decided upon an appropriate gift: a simple silver necklace with a wooden charm at the end, in the shape of the moon, to symbolize Artemis, the Greek goddess of animals.

The hallways were fairly empty, most students having retreated to the grounds or the warmth of their Dormitories.

I climbed the stairs and entered the Upper Hall, a long corridor with huge arched windows on one side. Suze would have loved Hogwarts, of that I was sure. I missed her so much…

Suddenly, I spotted a thin, petite figure at the end of the hall. She had bright red hair and elf ears, a dead giveaway for the girl I had grown to love so much.

"Aves!" I yelled and she pulled her hood up, quickening her pace. _What had I done?_

I ran ahead and placed my arm on her shoulder, stopping her rapid gait.

"What's-" I began, but was stopped by the sight that greeted me. She was wearing an immense hoodie, which reached all the way to her knees to cover her body. But the hoodie couldn't cover her face.

Her skin stretched over her skull, and it was sickly pale. The cheekbones seemed to nearly jut out of her thin skin, and her brown freckles were more obvious then usual. There were red scars against her cheeks and the bags under her eyes were a dark grey. Even her hair seemed to have dulled, and it was matted and greasy.

"Aves, what happened to you?" I whispered and she shook her head, her eyes wide with fear.

"Go away, Alec! I don't want to talk now," she said, trying to push past me.

"That may be, but it's Christmas and I have your present," I replied, holding up the box. Aves was strong, and I wouldn't force her to tell me.

"You shouldn't have," she exclaimed, but her mask of joy was as fake as my attempt at casual conversation.

"I wanted to. Considering what an ass I had been to you, this was my way to make it up to you," I shrugged and she smiled sadly.

"Unfortunately, for me to give you your present, you'll need to unzip your hoodie a bit," I said simply and she blanched even further, clutching the ragged fabric tightly.

"Maybe you can give it to me later," she mumbled, looking down. I stepped forward and placed my index finger under her chin, making her look me in the eyes. Sighing deeply, she winced and unzipped her hoodie, pulling it off fully. _Oh my Gods, AVES!_

I gasped loudly as my eyes perused the extent of her injuries. Her neck was littered with bruises and bite marks, and her wrists bore the evidence of being bound with rope. She was wearing a formerly form-fitting shirt, which now hung loosely on her thin frame. Her arms and neck were littered with bruises matching a tight grip and I now noticed that her lips were bitten extensively. She couldn't have done this to himself so I pulled out my wand and looked around, my teeth clenching in anger.

"Who did this to you?" I asked, my voice shaking with rage. Someone had hurt her. And he would PAY!

"Please, hear me out. There's nothing you can do," she pleaded and I turned to her, laughing hysterically,

"Of course there's something I can bloody do. I'm going to MURDER the guy that laid his filthy hands on you!" I exclaimed and she smiled sadly, shaking her head.

"It's not that simple, Alec," she sighed, collapsing against the wall. Ignoring my blind fury, I hurried by her side and helped her sit down, handing her the hoodie.

"Aves, who DID this? I need to know," I said and she nodded, shaking her hair in front of her face.

"You need to hear the whole story to understand. And it's a long story," she shook her head but I sat next to her and placed my hand on her shoulder.

"Good thing I have time," I answered and she wiped a tear from her eye, shaking my grip loose.

"Alec, I can't tell you. Not just because of the trouble it would get me in, but also because of how you'll see me. I'm filthy, soiled," she whispered, mortified and I wrapped my arm around her shoulders.

"You will always be amazing to me. The same girl who showed me the thestrals that day," I answered and she smiled, taking a deep breath.

"My dad died when I was 11. In Elfish tribes, the challenger to the throne has to challenge the current leader by the age of 11. In this case, my dad lost to my twin brother, Rhain. He doesn't go to Hogwarts because he doesn't possess any magical abilities. Now, in Elfish culture, the leader of the tribe gets to choose two women when he wins. One is his formal wife, and they usually marry for tribal relations or money. The second acts like a concubine of sorts. Male Elves are very similar to veela, because of their endless sexual drive. Because of my appearance, and the fact that I'm half-human, my brother chose me as a concubine. He never considered me his sister anyways, and all members of the tribe are somehow interrelated. Ever since I was 11, I have been my brother's sex-slave, and I can't do anything about it. He has literally raped me every chance he's gotten. I took an oath at my initiation to never see anyone, but when I met you, I had to break it. As my master, he knew that I had broken my vow and what you see is my punishment. I was given to the army, and he gave them free rein, to do whatever they wished," she explained, and I felt my mouth drop open in horror. Was this what all Elfish women had to go through?

"Normally, that's not what it's like. And the second woman has the opportunity to go to the tribal council to contest the decision. But Rhain is a ruthless, authoritative leader, and he blackmails them all. I tried, and was declined," she seemed to know my question, even though I hadn't spoken it.

"That's horrible," I whispered and she shrugged.

"It's Life," she replied and I shook my head fervently.

"Wait, if you're half-witch, don't both Elfish AND Wizarding laws apply to you?" I asked, and she nodded, noticing the grin on my face with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm afraid to ask," she muttered, glancing at my excited face.

"No, listen. I'm sure the Ministry has laws against rape or child abuse. We just have to find them," I said, but she shook her head, smiling at my ignorance.

"Yes, but those don't apply to RHAIN, they apply to me. And I'm not the one committing rape," she stated, and I bit my lip, looking at her earnestly.

"It can't hurt to try. Please, Aves, I can't see you like this," I pleaded and she stared at me, smiling, with tears in her eyes. Suddenly, she threw her arms around my neck and sobbed into my shoulder. My black shirt became wet with tears, but I didn't dare let go, allowing her to spill all of her emotions onto my shoulder.

"Merlin, I'm sorry. _Tergeo,_" she said, sniffling as she waved her wand over my shirt, which instantly became dry. I helped her onto her feet and handed her the present. Slowly, her shaking finger opened the gift and she gasped upon seeing the necklace.

"It's beautiful," she whispered, fingering the intricately engraved wooden charm with awe in her eyes.

"May I?" I asked and she nodded, allowing me to clasp the chain behind her neck.

She smiled at me, her eyes twinkling, and I placed a light kiss against her forehead, not wanting to trespass her boundaries any further.

"Hey, don't you dare, Alec Carmicheal. I may be damaged, but I still love you. Don't. You. Dare," she threatened, pulling me to her and kissing me passionately on the lips. I resisted at first, not wanting to hurt her, but her honeysuckle scent enticed my sense and I melted into her kiss, allowing my lips to move in sync with hers. We broke apart after several seconds and she grinned, brushing my bangs out of my eyes.

"I love you," she said hesitantly, as though afraid of my response.

"Always," I replied, taking her hand and leading her to Gryffindor Tower, to tell Cora of my newest recruits, Lia and Zach.

**A/N: How'd I do? I know what I did to Aves was horrid, but it really shows their relationship that he actually stuck around. Please don't hate me, but believe me when I say that Rhain will get his punishment. And what about Lia/Zach? Leave me a review, flames and hugs are welcome, though I'll obviously have to get out the icepacks because of what I did. If you people have any requests as to scandals or things that could happen, just leave them in your review, and I will follow up. Oh, and tell me your punishment of choice for Rhain. I can't wait to hear it!**


	35. Fear

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the delay, but it took a lot of research for this chapter! In any case, I just have to begin with a short announcement. I've decided to move the ages of our school characters up a year, just to improve on the overall realism. It also gives me a lot more wiggle room. So, instead of being thirteen, our first-years are now 14, and they still go through 5 year training until the age of 19. And the age shift includes Jack as well, who is now 16 instead of 15. I hope this doesn't cause too much confusion! Thanks to the Elves, Annika and HideAmongTheAshes for reviewing! And I'd like to personally congratulate im-the-doctor for going to the Red Carpet of the HP7 part 2 London premiere today and seeing everyone! I'm so freaking jealous! This chapter is for Leanna and Skye. **

Cora's POV

Our first few days back were quite uneventful, the teachers merely introducing us to newer subjects. And then one day, all mayhem broke loose.

It started in the morning, during breakfast, as Will and I descended the stairs from our Common Room to join the others for food. Lex and Amber were already at the table, arguing heatedly with Aves and Lia, who had become quite close friends.

"I'm telling you, she'll completely freak out. We should let her find out by herself-" Lex argued, sparks flying from her fingers as she gestured wildly.

"Are you kidding me? She _deserves _to know!" Aves yelled right back, her fiery hair falling onto her face and over her eyes.

"I think I know her a LITTLE better than you do, Avery," Lex spat back, placing her hand on her hips. I exchanged an amused glance with Will, who was bent over in laughter, his face a bright scarlet.

"Okay, guys, break it up. What's this that I deserve to know?" I demanded, squeezing myself between the two groups. Lex glared at me spitefully and shook her head determinedly, refusing to divulge any information. Sighing dramatically, Lia stepped forward and smiled, pulling me into a hug.

"Mornin', Core," she greeted me, and I grinned at the smudge of lead under her eye.

"Harry been making more appearances?" I asked, and she rolled her eyes, nodding. Since Alec had convinced her and Zach (the new South-African exchange student, who had taken to me quite easily, considering the help I had offered Lia during the first bout of her visions) to join Cassandra's Army, Zach and I had convinced her to tell the rest of the army, as my instincts told me that her visions were connected to Harry's for a reason.

"So, what's all this about?" I inquired, knowing that she wouldn't deny me an answer. Lia was like my twin, though infinitely stronger than I could ever be.

"Take a look," she replied, handing me a rolled-up copy of today's Daily Prophet. I unrolled it and gasped when I read the headline:

_**MASSIVE BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN! DEMENTORS DEPLOYED TO RECOVER ESCAPED CONVICTS, SENT TO HOGWARTS! **_

"Merlin's Beard!" I exclaimed but Lia shook her head, gesturing to the article underneath.

"Keep reading. That's not all," she admitted and I opened the newspaper, feeling my jaw drop as I recognized my picture in the middle of the article:

_Rumor has it that the escaped convicts are headed to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where it is now reported that a Newid is in attendance, by the name of Cora Rattigan. Headmaster Dumbledore was unavailable for comment, though this reporter must wonder how long he expected to keep such a secret under wraps. In the meantime, I have taken it upon myself to provide the Wizarding community with more information about the elusive Ms. Rattigan. This reporter has found a highly reliable source deep within the Hogwarts walls, a ravishingly beautiful and charming girl named Isabella Carmicheal. "She uses her powers on everyone, even the teachers. No wonder she gets away with everything. The only person immune to her is me, though that's because of my Shielder abilities. She manipulates everyone into thinking she's perfect, and the students think she's an angel. It's absolutely sickening," she says, opening her heart to me during a one-on-one session. The questions is, why hasn't Dumbledore done anything about this obvious threat?_

I threw the paper aside, my eyes turning black in anger.

"That venomous bitch! Who the hell wrote this article?" I spat and Amber sighed, adjusting her horn-rimmed glasses so she could see the name of the author.

"Mariame Bellot," she exclaimed, throwing the article aside with malicious spite.

"The author that slammed Jo?" I asked and they nodded, Will taking a thoughtful bite from a kipper.

"Yup. She's our equivalent of Rita Skeeter, but ten times more ruthless," he mused, gulping down a goblet of pumpkin juice, and wiped a bit of his smudged eyeliner.

"I'm am going to kill her," I stated simply, a crazed smile crossing my lips as I pushed my way through the crowd and over to the Slytherin table, where Isabella was being surrounded by a gaggle of testosterone-crazed boys.

"Oh, really. It wasn't much," she bragged, waving a careless hand in the air. Her black eyes glittered maliciously as she glanced at me and she stood up.

"Well, well. If it isn't the precious perfect Newid and her little gang of misfits," she sneered, laughing like a madwoman. The laugh seemed eerily familiar, as well as that glint in her eye, but I couldn't place it.

"_Jou fokken teef! Hoe durf jy!"(A/N:You fucking bitch! How dare you!)_ Lia shrieked, pushing me aside and running up to Isabella and slapping her full in the face. Isabella smiled wickedly and raised a walnut wand, twirling it delicately in her fingers.

"I've wanted to do this for a long, long time, freak," she spat, pointing the wand at her with a ruthless glare in her eyes.

"Don't you dare, Bella. This is between you and me. Leave Lia alone," I said firmly, and I felt a chill enter the room. No teachers had entered the Great Hall yet, as it was too early.

"I'm going to have a bit of fun first, I think. Let's see you squirm. _Crucio!_" she shrieked and Lia screamed, writhing in agony.

"Lee!" Zach yelled, his eyes going black in panic. "Let her go!" he ordered, his voice going dangerous. Isabella laughed and turned to him.

"Your powers don't work on me, Zach!" she laughed, a crazy look in her eyes. But she let go of Lia anyways, and turned to me, not noticing how Lia stood up with a vengeful look in her eyes. She exchanged a smirk with Zach and raised her hands, forming an iridescent shield in front of her palms. Biting her lip, she shoved the shield from her body, throwing Isabella's body onto the table. Lia fell back and grinned, supporting herself on Zach's strong shoulder.

"_Dien jy is reg_,"(A/N: Serves you right) Lia laughed, walking out of the Great Hall with Zach by her side.

I took a step to Isabella, but someone intercepted my path. Looking up, I recognized Evan, but his normally twinkling eyes were dull and empty.

"Evan?" I whispered and he glared down at me, his face emotionless.

"See, Cora? This is the effect you have on people," Isabella sneered, getting up from the table. "People deserve the truth," she continued, running a delicate hand over Evan's lanky arms. The knife in my chest twisted painfully, leaving me breathless.

"Screw with my head all you want, Isabella, but leave my friends alone or you'll wish you'd never been born," I threatened and she laughed cruelly, placing a kiss on Evan's temple.

"You have it all wrong, my pretty. THEY came to ME," she sneered, licking her lips as she looked at Aidan, who seemed to be too absorbed in the syrup on his plate to notice the altercation. "You, my dearie, drove them to insanity. And I wouldn't be surprised if the Minister comes to take you to Azkaban himself."

"You vicious harpy! First Aidan, then Evan. Not to mention the fact that you Manipulate your own damn brother!" I shrieked and she shrugged, shaking her head.

"I'm not Manipulating Aidan, my pretty. But he's bound to me in a different manner. Why is it any business of yours, though?" she asked and a bolt of lightning left my hand and hit a silver goblet.

"Because he's my friend!" I yelled back and Aidan turned to me, raising an eyebrow.

"That's right, Aidan. Even though I'm positively furious at you for what you did to Will, you're still my friend. But you seem determined to hurt me at every turn," I spat and he opened his mouth before clutching his arm in pain and staring back down at the plate, stabbing a piece of pancake with unwonted venom.

"Fuck off, Isabella, I mean it," I said firmly, grabbing my bag and walking up the stairs to Defense against the Dark Arts.

After classes were over, the entirety of Cassandra's Army met in front of the Room of Requirement.

"Why are we here?" Chase, one of the Ravenclaw Chasers, asked, gesturing to the empty wall. "This is a wall."

"Not exactly, Chase. Wait a second," Will urged, smiling shyly to our new Hufflepuff additions. It turned out that he was close friends with one of the most popular guys in the House, Justin Alquist. But Will's feelings stretched a bit farther than friendship, if you know what I mean. In short, he was head over heels, but severely scarred because of the snogging session between Isabella and Justin that he had witnessed.

"We need someplace to practice. Lots of room, lots of books. Someplace they can't find us," I whispered softly and a simple classroom door appeared in the wall, amongst tens of gasps.

"That's awesome," Justin commented, tousling his purple-streaked hair with a free hand. Will looked ready to faint, and I couldn't blame him. Even the girls kept staring at him with wide eyes.

"Yeah, it is. Let's check it out," Lia grinned, rolling her eyes at a group of sighing Ravenclaws behind her. We entered the room and her mouth fell into a perfect, comical "o."

The room was arched gothically, with dark, shiny floors lined with mirrors on one side. Another section of the Room was lined with bookshelves bearing books on strategy, history, potions and various spells. It was perfect and I laughed loudly in amazement.

"So, what's first?" Skye, the vicious Ravenclaw beater who had hurt Lex asked, throwing back her blue hair. The girl next to her punched her in the arm and Skye shot her a look, crossing her arms. My gut told me she was here because she had been forced to.

"What? I joined to learn, not to stand around and admire a pretty room," she spat sarcastically, rolling her eyes. My eyes darkened and I stepped forward, feeling the electricity run across my body.

"We learn from each other, there is no sole leader," I said dangerously and she laughed loudly, earning her a glare from Lex. Jack squeezed her hand.

"Bullshit. I was told that you were the leader, and that's the only way I'm staying," she sneered and I raised an eyebrow.

"Wait, you came here because of ME? Why?" I asked and she blushed red, her face clashing horribly with her electric hair.

"I suppose I might as well say it. I'm a Traveler, just like Lia. But I don't go to the same world. It's different there," she explained and I narrowed my eyes.

"That doesn't explain anything," I stated and she shook her head frantically.

"But it does! In that world, they're gathering forces as well. Or, more correctly, I am. This is more than just a single-world struggle, Cora. They are fighting EVERYWHERE!" she exclaimed and I nodded in understanding.

"You are the leader in this world, Cora. Face it, we're all here because of YOU!" she yelled and I exhaled sharply, shaking my curls roughly.

"I guess we'd better get to work then. Considering this morning's news-" I began and several people snickered, making my eyes darken in rage again. But I obviously wasn't the only one.

"Hey! This isn't a game! All of us know that Isabella has a fucking stick up her ass, but don't victimize her victims any further," Zach yelled angrily, his eyes black as he placed a protective arm around Lia's curvy waist. She smiled at him sadly and leaned against his figure, obviously remembering the effects of the Cruciatus Curse.

"Thanks, Zach. Now, as I was saying, there are Dementors coming to Hogwarts. Not just Dementors, but Azkaban prisoners as well, most likely. I can't help but think that they're coming for me, considering the leverage I'd be, as the ONE and all," I joked, placing quotation marks in the air when I said, "the ONE." Several snickered and I nodded, before straightening my face abruptly.

"But he's right. As of now, we have confirmation that this is serious. The UNIVERSE is at war, and it will only get worse. However, that's not the point. The point is, there will be Dementors. Now, I know most of you fairly well, and we aren't the happiest of people. We have lost loved ones and gone through unspeakable horrors. And even if you haven't, Dementors feed on your happiest memories, leavindg you with the horrors and fears that you have live. Today, we learn the Patronus Charm," I stated and the group erupted in conversation.

"OI!" Jack yelled, and the group turned to him, upon which he gestured to me. I nodded in thanks and turned to them, biting my lip. _What are you thinking, Core? Not even you can perform a Patronus!_

"Patronus Charms are exceedingly difficult magic, Core. Can you cast one?" Aves asked, raising her voice for the first time. I shook my head and someone in the group laughed, though they silenced themselves after a while.

"It's true I can't cast one. But I told you guys when you joined: we will learn together. Now, since I'm guessing no one can perform a Patronus here-" I began but Skye raised her hand shakily.

"I can. Though I've never performed a Patronus in this world, I have in the other," she murmured and I smiled brightly, earning me a glare from Lex.

"Come on up," I said kindly and she stepped forward, throwing her long blue hair back.

"Okay. Well, a Patronus is a sort of positive energy and it works as a shield against the Dementors, who feed off the shield instead of you. In order to create one, you have to focus on your happiest memory, and lose yourself in it. Then, point your wand at the Dementor and speak the incantation, '_Expecto Patronum_'," she explained, gesturing with her hands.

"So we just have to focus on a happy memory and speak the incantation. That doesn't sound compicated," Lex snapped and Skye sighed, shooting her a look.

"You need a VERY powerful memory. A corporeal Patronus will take the form of an animal, one that reflects your personality best, but it is very difficult to create. However, most of you should be able to produce one, as you are not under the negative presence of a Dementor. Once under the presence of a Dementor, it is infinitely more difficult. I have only done so once," she admitted, shuddering at the memory. Lex sobered instantly and grabbed Jack's hand tightly.

"Can you show us?" Bex asked, her hair turning a light shade of lavender. Skye bit her lip, but nodded, taking a deep breath. Then she smiled and raised her wand, pointing it into the empty space next to her.

"_Expecto Patronum!"_ she whispered and a panther erupted from her wand, landing gracefully on the fur. It seemed to consist of silvery wisps of mist, and the air around it was warm as it purred contently, nuzzling next to its caster.

"Thank you, Skye. Now, everyone find a spell and practice the spell. Once you have produced it, call me and Skye so we can see," I instructed nervously, overwhelmingly surprised when they followed suit.

"You're not getting off that easily, Cora. Let me see you try," Skye challenged, and I sighed dramatically. Rifling through my memories, I decided to settle on the memory of Mum and Vlad in the kitchen. Letting my joy fill every cell of my body, I raised my wand and pointed it to Skye's left, breathing deeply. I spoke the incantation and gasped as a mass of silver leaped from my wand, landing beside Skye and shaking its mane powerfully, filling the room with the sound of a powerful roar. Finally, it turned to me and paced in my direction, its paws making no noise against the ground.

"Wow, Core. A lion," Will gasped and my Patronus reared its head, bowing slightly in his direction.

"I can see that, Will," I answered sharply and my lion purred, laying calmly on the ground. My Patronus was a lion, and I grinned widely, as it had now begun licking its paws.

"Cora! Skye! Come here!" Aves shrieked and we rushed over, our Patronuses disappearing at the sound of her voice. On our way over, she turned to us and a silvery creature galloped our way, stretching its wings lazily. The creature was beautiful, yet terrifying, and I stopped in my tracks.

"What is that?" I whispered and she smiled widely, as everyone crowded around it.

"So you guys can see it. Everyone?" she asked and we nodded.

"It's a Thestral," Alec laughed, placing a kiss on her hair and hugging her close.

"But why can we see it. I haven't seen death!" I exclaimed and they shrugged as the Thestral faded away.

"What are you guys waiting for? Let's see 'em!" I yelled and everyone returned to his or her practice, most of them producing only wisps of smoke.

"Oi, Core! We got a couple over here!" Skye yelled after a while and I ran over, ignoring my wide-open book on hexes and jinxes.

Lex's Patronus ran over to me and knocked me down, eagerly licking my face. The Labrador jumped back up after it had successfully tasted me and ran back over to Lex, who bore a somewhat heart-felt smile.

"A Labrador? That's the symbol of my personality? I'm a bloody Labrador!" she exclaimed and Jack chuckled, patting her on the back.

"Well, I think she's adorable," he stated and the dog promptly ran over to him, her tail wagging ferociously.

"Nicely done, Lex. What'd you think of?" I asked and she grinned coyly, her eyes moving to Jack, who was now petting the Labrador eagerly. I hugged her tightly and walked over to Lex and Zach, who had now successfully accomplished their own Patronuses.

"Tell your wolf to lay off!" Zach exclaimed, gesturing to Lia's beautiful silver wolf, who seemed to be walking with a circle, her eyes fixated on her prey of choice, Zach's komodo dragon.

"I can't do that! It's tasted you, and it likes the flavor," she argued, winking at me. Zach rubbed his eyes frustratingly at the look of amused anger on her face and his Patronus hissed angrily, as Lia's wolf howled.

"I'll just leave you two alone," I said, and she shot me grateful look, while Zach glared at me for abandoning him with his firecracker girlfriend. But he obviously didn't catch her message.

Suddenly, a huge animal erupted in the center of the room and roared, its thick fur bristling. Will stood behind it, his wand raised and his eyes shining happily, matching the wide grin on his face.

"I got a bear! How cool is that!" he exclaimed and I saw Justin walking over, his eyes fixated on Will's face.

"Umm, mine was a salmon. So, you want to eat me. Is there anything you'd like to tell me, Will?" he asked playfully, his eyebrows wagging as Will blushed a deep scarlet and his bear purred softly. Finally, he raised his head with an equally playful look that made his eyes sparkle behind the glasses.

"Oh, nothing, Justin. Just that you're a huge pain in my ass, so much to the point where I think of devouring you, just so you'd shut up," he replied, crossing his arms in front of his chest and throwing his bangs to the side. I suppressed a giggle as Will's bear roared loudly and settled on the floor, emitting soft snores a minute later.

"Back to work!" Skye shouted, and Will shot her a grateful look as he walked into the library, no doubt looking for an Astronomy book. Justin nonchalantly sauntered over to the shelves after him and I grinned, making a mental note to ask Will of his encounter.

"Ooh, Cora! Look!" Bex shrieked and she pointed to her Patronus: a raccoon-looking like animal which was now climbing all over Xander as though he were a tree.

"Gerroff! Bex!" he yelled and she laughed as it began picking his hair, looking for food.

"A red panda. Isn't he ADORABLE?" she said, her hair turning a blinding yellow.

"Which one are you referring to? The Patronus or your boyfriend?" I asked and her hair turned black as she whirled on her heel to look at me.

"He's not my boyfriend," she insisted, though her pink blush and violently red hair gestured otherwise.

"Not yet," I answered simply and she giggled, casting another Patronus, which immediately began picking at Xander's messy hair again.

I looked around and spotted Alec, who was leaning against the wall, his face grim. For once, Aves didn't seem to be around him, so I walked over and joined him, allowing my tired feet a break.

"Hey," he said softly, and I frowned, looking at his downcast face.

"What's wrong?" I asked and he shook his head, gesturing to the class.

"I don't know why I joined this. Not only can't I do the spells, but we both know that in case of a war, Isabella will not be on your side. She'd rather die. And that means, I won't be on your side," he spat, running a hand through his long black hair.

"Aves trusts me, but she shouldn't. I'm a loose end, and Iz will use me, make no mistake. Yet you accept that, and you're willing to have me here. Why?" he asked, and I shrugged in response, tying my hair up absentmindedly.

"I don't believe that you have absolutely no control. Remember Halloween? I think you threw off Iz's powers when you came back for Aves. Something tells me that you guys are more than just a fling. When you see her, it's as though you'd be willing to die for her. That makes you an invaluable asset. As to your abilities, just shut up, honestly. I've seen you in class, and you're smarter than you allow yourself to think. We don't just need soldiers; we'll need Healers, and Leaders. Just because you can't cast a Patronus YET, doesn't mean you won't be of any use. And I'm not Isabella," I objected and he smiled, before lifting his wand and showing it to me.

"See this? When I went to see Ollivander, it took over 10 wands before I found mine. It's Aspen, with dragon heartstring. Quite unusual, he said, for the Aspen tree is known to be quite weak, and dragon heartstring is a very powerful core. He told me that I was stronger than I'd let myself believe," he explained and I patted his shoulder kindly.

"But it's not that I can't cast a Patronus YET. I can't cast one, PERIOD," he stated and I shook my head.

"Bullshit. What's your happiest thought?" I asked and his face fell, all trace of openness disappearing. He shook his head violently, his lips shut firmly, as though glued.

"You don't have to tell me, just let it fill you up," I said and he shook his head.

"My happiest thought is clouded with too much dark, Cora. All of them are," he admitted and bit my lip. _What had Isabella done to him?_

"Imagine her gone. Isabella, that is. She's gone, and you're free with Aves," I whispered and he smiled, his eyes twinkling at the thought.

"_Expecto Patronum,"_ he whispered, as though it took everything he had. But a furry wisp of silver descended from his wand and landed on the ground, its fluffy tail curling. Raising its pointy ears, the fox turned to Alec and barked, sitting content next to him.

"A fox," I heard Aves say behind me and she ran forward, hugging him tightly.

"I love you," he whispered and she nodded fervently, the tears streaming down her cheeks.

"SHIT! GET IT OFF ME!" Lex screamed, trying to shake a small, silvery creature from her leg. By the looks of it, it seemed to be Amber's Patronus.

"Can't do, Dracul. Apparently my Patronus shares the same dislike for you as I do," Amber replied, laughing hysterically, her short hair tousled and messy. Ian was shaking his head at her antics, but suppressing laughter nonetheless, his orange hair trembling from the effort.

"What is that thing?" Jack exclaimed and Amber rolled her eyes.

"A Tasmanian devil, of course. The tiny terror of the Oceanic island," she grinned proudly, as her Patronus snapped at Lex viciously.

"I'd rather keep my leg, Wilcox. Call your rat off!" Lex threatened and Amber's eyes narrowed, leaving Lex soaked to the bone.

"First of all, it's a Patronus. It's harmless. Secondly, it's not a RAT!" she yelled and her Patronus growled, as Ian placed a cautionary hand on her pointed shoulder. Instantly, it purred and sauntered over happily, nuzzling Ian happily.

"Let's call it a night, shall we?" I asked Skye, who nodded vigorously.

"Good idea. Leo's giving us morning practice," she rolled her eyes and I smirked at the thought of Aves out of bed before 9 AM. It sounded like hell.

"OI!" she yelled and the group turned to her, a mix of amusement and confusion on their faces.

"You guys did amazing today. But it is, after all, almost curfew, and we'll have to call it a night. Try and get some more recruits! Next meeting will be in 2 days, same time and place," I said and everyone groaned.

"What?" I asked and Chase turned to me, a wide grin on his handsome face.

"Can't it be sooner?" he pouted and I rolled my eyes. Maybe this hadn't been such a bad idea after all.

**A/N: So how'd I do? I apologize if the beginning was too much like Prisoner of Azkaban or Goblet of Fire, but I needed another moment of animosity, and Mariame Bellot delivered. * cracks knuckles * Sorry, the name has personal meaning. In any case, I loved writing about Patronuses, and that bit with Alec just came to me. Patronuses are immensely fascinating, in my opinion. To answer Annika's question from 2 chapters ago, the idea for Newids and Paraxenes was developed. I wanted the world of HP, but without the characters, and room to expand. Then Newids and Paraxenes just popped into my mind, but the theory of Travelers and multiple dimensions didn't come to me until a chapter before I wrote the explanation. I make most of this stuff up as I go along, really, but I get a lot of help and inspiration from my friends. Please review, flames and hugs are welcome. And please leave a comment about the fight, I left a crapload of hints in it…Dear, me have I said too much?**


	36. A Visitor

**A/N: Hello, my loyal readers. As per request, I am not allowed to apologize for my lateness in delivering this chapter. But I can assure that this is an awesome chapter. In fact, it's so awesome, I had to split it in two, so none of my readers would suffer from PAA- or a pulmonary awesomeness attack. This chapter was worked on in conjunction with SkyeElf, who has helped me introduce a new character. I hope you like her. Considering the confusion that may result from this chapter, I will summarize in a simplified version at the end of the chapter. Thanks to weirdgiraffe, SkyeElf, Annika and HideAmongTheAshes for reviewing. This chapter is dedicated, in full, to Skye.**

Aves' POV

It was rainy, and frosty outside: some of the worst conditions possible for Quidditch. And as always, the Slytherin team took full advantage of that, playing silently and stealthily.

"Time-out!" Leo yelled, his usually gelled silver hair falling messily over his glasses. Silvernail, the Slytherin Captain sneered toothily, and nodded to Madam Batkai, who blew her whistle.

"5 minutes, DiLarocco!" she instructed and he nodded, landing on the muddy field. I exchanged a confused look with Skye and she shrugged, flying to the ground. I followed her swiftly and jumped off the broom to find a disgruntled Leo yelling at Skye.

"You're supposed to protect the Chasers! That's your job, Ororo!" he yelled and she bit her lip, clenching her fingers around the bat. Chase was tending to Annabel, who sported a growing bump on her head, no doubt because of an enemy Bludger.

"I can barely see what the hell I'm doing, Leo! For Merlin's sake, I'm trying!" she objected and he rolled his eyes, pointing to the Gryffindor stands.

"Rattigan performed under the same conditions last week, so toughen up! Try harder!" he spat and I spotted glassy tears rolling from her unusually colored eyes.

"Hey, give her a break! Or do you want me to remind you that you're not doing any better?" I stepped in between them and Skye shot him a venomous look, hiding her face behind her hair.

"Don't forget, McGee. I'm the Captain of this team, not you. Cross me again, and you're off!" he warned and I glared defiantly at him, before raising an eyebrow.

"Is that so? Well, good luck winning the game without a Seeker, Leo," I smiled sweetly and turned on my heel, carrying my broom in my right hand. _Three, two, one…_

"Wait! Aves!" he yelled and I turned around, crossing my arms. He shrugged and inclined his head. Nodding my head, I walked back and stared pointedly at him.

"Apologize to her. She's the best Beater you've ever had, and what you said was beyond cruel," I demanded, and he glanced at Skye guiltily, from under his wet lashes. Her jaw was set in rage, but her eyes were red with tears. There was more to this than just the insult: not even Skye was that proud.

"I'm sorry, Skye," he said earnestly, placing a gloved hand on her shoulder but she pushed it off, glaring at him spitefully.

"I was so stupid, so naïve. Never again," she whispered, before kicking a piece of mud away with vengeance. Leo bit his lip, but shook his head, turning to me.

"Now, the Slytherin team is playing dirty. We only have one chance. Aves, you have to get that Snitch before Carmicheal does, and screw the personal repercussions," Leo said heartlessly and I widened my eyes.

"Leo, I TOLD you! I thought you understood," I exclaimed, but he cut me off, shaking his head.

"Hmph, join the club," Skye muttered and I shot her a questioning look, to which she simply shook her wet head.

"Yeah, well circumstances change. The Slytherin Beaters are batting for blood, and we can't take anymore losses. Annabel can already barely play, she's so dizzy, and Bella is out of the game fully. This is Quidditch, and you leave all personal matters in the locker room," he stated firmly, earning him a piercing glare from Skye.

"Is that ALL that matters to you? Quidditch?" I exclaimed and he stepped forward, a hard look in his eyes.

"It's the only thing I have, Aves. I wasn't put in Ravenclaw because of my innate intelligence in class," he spat and Skye pushed me aside, glaring at him with angry eyes that flashed…LAVENDER?

"You egomaniacal asshole!" she shrieked, slapping him across the face. Her thin hand left a red imprint on his pale cheek and she turned to us, a fire blazing in her flashing eyes.

"This game isn't over yet. I know you're hurting, I know you just want to give up. But I'm not about to go down easily to a bunch of slimy, slithering Slytherins! Who's with me?" she yelled and the team roared, as Leo watched her, his face confused.

"Aves, just get that Snitch. I'll help you talk to Alec during the meeting," she mumbled to me and I nodded, glancing over to the Slytherin team, where Alec was flashing me a challenging grin, his eyebrows wagging.

Madam Batkai's whistle rang out and we mounted our brooms, flying swiftly into the air. A second whistle rang out and I began scanning the pitch for the Snitch. Finally, I spotted it, fluttering by our goalposts. Unfortunately, Alec had spotted it too, and he was already speeding towards the small, golden ball. I whirled my broom around and leaned my body down, forming an arrow with my broom. My hair whipped behind me as I reached Alec, swerving to avoid the Bludgers and Chasers.

"So nice of you to join me, love. But Silvernail is going to kill me if I don't catch this," he shrugged and leaned forward, the tips of his fingers slipping on the glossy Snitch.

"I'm sorry, but I promise I'll clean you up after he's done with you," I yelled, and he shot me a look of panic as I spiraled towards the Snitch, catching it in my right hand.

"YES!" I screamed, flying around the pitch and holding up the Snitch for a roaring audience.

"FINAL SCORE 170-100 FOR RAVENCLAW!" Bex yelled exhaustedly, as the crowds began bustling out of the stands, eager for the warmth of the Castle. Skye ran to me happily and hugged me tightly, ruffling my neon hair.

"Maybe you're not so bad after all, squirt," she mused and I punched her shoulder, joining the rest of the team, with the exception of Leo in the locker room.

"Wait, where's Leo?" Bella asked, sitting up slowly from the sickbed. Annabel smiled and pushed her back down before looking at Scott and Chase inquisitively.

"He said something about needing to think," Scott shrugged, slipping out of his mud-encrusted Quidditch Robes.

"I'm hitting the showers. Would any of you lovely ladies care to join me?" he asked, his eyebrows wagging at Annabel, who smiled sweetly and walked up to him, brushing her hair back.

"Wag you eyebrows ONE more time, I dare you," she threatened, pointing her wand at his neck. Scott blanched and ran to the showers, as Chase laughed hysterically behind him.

"Shit, do you think Madam Pomfrey's going to keep me in the Hospital Wing?" Bella groaned, gesturing to her bandaged arm. "I really didn't want to miss Cassandra's Army today!"

I chuckled lightly, and Skye checked her stiff arm, shaking her head.

"I'll tell Cora you wanted to come, but we're probably just doing Patronuses again," Skye said and Bella pouted, her dark bottom lip sticking out.

"But I WANTED to do Patronuses," she objected and I smiled, pulling off my robes and slipping into my checkered pants and a slate gray t-shirt with skulls that covered most of my scars, except for those on my neck. No one stared at my neck besides Alec anyways.

"No one said you couldn't practice in the Hospital Wing, Bells. Madam Pomfrey's such a mother hen, she'll force you to stay overnight," I assured her, placing my favorite green hat on my head and heading out of the locker room.

"See you guys later?" I asked and they nodded eagerly, Skye snatching her wand off the bench.

"Wait up!" she yelled, following me out the door. We turned the corner, and walked in silence to our Common Room. I still had an Arithmancy Chart to finish.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked her, and she tucked a lock of her messy, blue hair behind her ear, turning her piercing gaze to me.

"Depends on the question, McGee," she answered and I laughed. We got along, but she'd still call me by my last name, claiming it sounded better than my first.

"Okay, then. What's going on with you and Leo?" I inquired and her face fell, her sharp features becoming hard and impassable.

"No," she replied, changing her pace to a brisk walk, making me jog to keep up.

"No what?" I asked, confused. She turned on her heel and rounded on me, her eyes as fiery as before.

"No, you may not ask me that question. What happened with Leo is in the past and it won't have any effect on my future, so lets switch topics, shall we?" she spat, her eyes cold, but her expression desperate. _Maybe I wasn't the best for guy advice anyways…_

"Okay, then. I'm going to head to the Great Hall for some lunch. Wanna come with? I could use the company, considering Alec's probably going to give me the silent treatment now," I suggested and she smirked at me, her eyes twinkling.

"Will there be fish and chips?" she asked and I grinned, nodding slowly.

"Then I shall," she declared regally, leading the way into the Great Hall.

Cora's POV

To say that Alec was dead would probably be the biggest understatement of the century. As soon as he touched ground, Silvernail ran to him, searching his robes for his wand. Not thinking about the consequences, I told Lex to meet me later and ran down the stairs and onto the Quidditch pitch, where Alec was being approached by the entire Slytherin Quidditch Team, their wands laying on the ground, forgotten. I ran to his side and raised my hands, glaring at the Slytherins.

"Go away, and no one gets hurt," I threatened, and they laughed raucously, punching each other like stupid apes.

"Highly unlikely, my pretty," the big one on the left said smoothly, stepping forward. Trembling violently, I recognized him as the drunken 5th year that'd tried to rape me before Christmas.

"You," I whispered and he smiled, his eyebrow raising slightly.

"You recognize me, sweetheart? Good, because your boyfriend's not here to save you this time," he pointed out, his tongue licking his lips as his eyes ran me over hungrily.

"And you look so delicious," he breathed, the goons behind him smiling eerily. _Curse Lex for making me wear this stupid sweater!_

"Leave her alone," I heard Alec mutter, and he glared at them. I had never seen his eyes so empty, yet so full of blind rage.

"Hall, Greene, take care of this worm," he instructed and two burly, yet dumb-looking guys stepped forward, each bearing equally stupid grins.

"With pleasure," they muttered and one of them raised his wand, his horribly stained teeth gleaming a dull brown.

"_Incarcerous!"_ he yelled and Alec was bound in tight black ropes, struggling on the ground as they kicked him over and over.

"Where was I?" Silvernail mused, before sneering at me. Suddenly, I saw red.

"You are NEVER going to touch me," I said determinedly, and a wave of energy shot sharply from hands, throwing them all across the Quidditch Pitch like a whip. A part in my mind kept them pinned against the ground, slowly draining my energy, but I pulled out my wand shakily and pointed it at Alec.

"_Finite Incantatem,"_ I said quickly and his bounds came undone, allowing him to stand up and shake himself off.

"Are you okay?" he asked and I nodded, trying to ignore the white spots in front of my eyes.

"Run!" I yelled, removing the shield and grabbing his hand, pulling him towards the Castle. Finally, we entered the Great Hall and collapsed next to Lia and Zach, who were arguing heatedly about something.

"I never meant anything by that, Lee. It was just a joke," he objected, taking a fry from her plate and dipping it in mustard before eating it eagerly.

"So was that comment on the plane, Zach! When will you ever learn?" she said, downcast, before returning to her sketch of a large Chamber, with a small girl collapsed in the front.

"I'm sorry, Black Widow. You know that," he murmured, placing a light kiss on her palm. She bit her thin lip and stuck her tongue out before handing me the sketchpad.

"Harry's in the Chamber of Secrets," Lia said simply, and I nodded in understanding.

"The book says that he'll be fine," I answered her unspoken bequest for information and she smiled kindly at me.

"Thank you," she mouthed and Zach rolled his eyes.

"What?" Lia snapped, and Zach shrugged.

"Oh, nothing. You just never seemed to care about me this much," he mumbled, cutting his chicken venomously. Lia patted his dark hand softly and ruffled his soft hair.

"Zachie, are you jealous of my younger brother?" she said mockingly and he raised his eyes.

"Yes," he answered simply, shaking his locks so that they covered his eyes. Lia sighed deeply and placed two skeletal fingers under his head, turning it to hers. Smiling softly, she placed her lips against his, before melting into his grip completely. I exchanged a look with Alec and patted his shoulder.

"This is going to send me into diabetic shock. Just make sure they don't kill themselves before Cassandra's Army. They'll have plenty of time for that tonight," I said simply and he chuckled, as Lia pulled away, shaking her hair out of her face.

"What about now?" she whispered and he shook his head slowly, a stunned look on his handsome features.

"Mission accomplished," Lia stated simply and I laughed, turning on my heel and joining Lex, who was piling food into her mouth, much to Amber's disgust.

"Do you ever stop eating?" Amber said, pushing the few items of food on her plate around with disinterest.

"Nope," Lex declared proudly and Jack glanced at her dubiously, before smiling widely.

"Are you people serious? Can't I go anywhere without seeing happy couples? This is torture!" I exclaimed in mock anger and Will shot me a smirk, taking a sip from his goblet.

"Tell me about it. I'm starting to highly regret inviting all those Hufflepuffs," he whispered and I shook my head, glancing at the Hufflepuff table, where Justin was being accosted by a variety of girls.

"Trust me, he's not interested in them," I said, determined. And it was true. Justin was smiling, but his eyes kept sweeping over to the Gryffindor table, ever so discreetly.

"Really, Cora? He's a fourteen-year old teenage boy, surrounded by girls that seem only too willing. What makes you so sure anyways?" Will asked darkly, and I laughed at the murderous look on his face. _As possessive as a mother bear…_

"Woman's intuition," I answered safely and he snorted loudly, his ice-blond hair falling to his shoulders. Ian raised a hesitant eyebrow, his sapphire eye gleaming with curiosity but I shook my head at him, indicating that it was better if he didn't know. Finally, Will stopped, and looked at me with an exasperated expression on his face.

"You're fourteen, Cora. You can't use woman's intuition as an excuse yet," he stated laughingly and I tilted my head in mock contemplation. In reality, however, I let my hearing take over completely and I heard Justin get up from the table, sauntering this way.

"Fine, then. 5 Sickles says that he's coming right this way," I dared simply and his face fell as he spotted Justin passing the Ravenclaw table.

"Shit, shit, SHIT! Distract him, I look like crap!" he gasped, diving below the table, under the pretext of getting his fork.

"You're such a girl!" I exclaimed, laughing, as Justin walked up to me, a nervous smile crossing his lips.

"Um, hey, Cora. You haven't seen Will by any chance, have you?" Justin asked brightly, taking a seat next to me. I was about to answer when Will kicked me under the table, making my eyes water.

"Ow! Um, I mean, no," I stammered and Justin raised a careful eyebrow, tousling his hair.

"Are you okay?" he inquired, his violet eyes glimmering like gems.

"Peachy. Why d'you need to see Will?" I responded and he flushed, looking at his black sneakers.

"I needed to talk to him. About last week," he muttered and I smirked, satisfied. _One-zip for Rattigan!_

"You mean that half an hour you and Will spent in the shadows of the Room's library?" I inquired lightly and he nearly fell off the bench at my question.

"I thought no one noticed that," he gasped and I raised an eyebrow.

"Justin, I'm a Newid. I notice EVERYTHING, even if I don't want to," I groaned, biting into a tart green apple.

"How much did you overhear?" he asked and I shook my head.

"I don't eavesdrop, Justin. But you better not be screwing with Will because of his preferences. He's your best friend, after all!" I exclaimed, laying down my silverware and checking the time.

"Is that what he said?" Justin whispered, his eyes downcast.

"What do you mean?" I replied, confused. Justin, the jokester of the school, the one guy who never took ANYTHING seriously, was staring at me with his eyes burning. _Yes, Cora, you have gone mad. A long time ago, in fact._

"Did Will say that I was his friend?" he asked again, louder this time. Glancing around I gestured out the door and he followed me into an empty classroom, where I sighed, sitting on a vacant desk.

"Before I answer anything, I need to know WHY you're asking all of this," I insisted and he grinned mischievously, twirling his wand like a baton.

"My dad left when I was born, I never really knew him. Mum raised me the best she could, but I saw that she was lonely. Her first date in 16 years occurred several days before the first day of Hogwarts. It was just an evening with an old friend of hers, she claimed, but considering that she spent the ENTIRE day in the bathroom, I assumed different. Finally, I found out who her 'friend' was: Arthur Kayser. That night, I met Will. I could see that he was different, but I couldn't stop myself from staring. He told me about his mum, and how she'd died, and I told him about my dad. It was quite perfect," he mused, the monkey-like grin still plastered to his face. Nervously, he began pacing, his normal Hufflepuff nature disappearing entirely in the deafening silence.

"You're not screwing with him, then?" I asked and he turned to me, his face distorted in indecision.

"Hear me out. Like I said, I've never had a father to talk to about this. My mum works so hard, I've become used to dealing with things myself. At this point, you could say that I'm joking around, being my stupid, immature self. And Will doesn't deserve that. But, most of all, he deserves someone who is adamant about their feelings, something I can't offer. I still don't know what I feel, and I'm no Gryffindor to just throw myself headfirst. I'll admit that I'm a bloody coward," he said spitefully and I bit my lip, shaking my head.

"So, because you're unsure, you decide to invite Will to your late-night snogging sessions with Isabella Carmicheal of all people? That's low, Justin," I spat, sliding off the desk and pushing past him, to the door.

"Isabella Carmicheal? What in the name of Merlin are you talking about?" he asked, confusion crossing his face. I turned at him and rolled my eyes.

"Don't play stupid with me, Justin. I'll see you during Cassandra's Army," I stated simply, exiting the classroom and climbing the stairs to the seventh floor, where I sat in the room, pulling Morgana's book from my bag and reading intently.

Slowly, the members began arriving, talking eagerly in anticipation of today's meeting. Finally, Justin entered the room, his previously solemn demeanor masked thickly with sarcasm and his usual flippant behavior. Will shied away from the door and stood by Lex, who patted his shoulder consolingly, glaring fiery daggers at Justin.

"Cora?" Skye yelled from across the room, her blue hair flowing brightly down her back.

"Yeah, Skye?" I asked, shaking my chocolate-colored curls out of my face. The rest of the Army turned to her and she blushed slightly, before shaking her head and walking to me, with tall, purposeful strides

"I have an idea. Remember how I told you that my other self was gathering forces? I've done some research, and I think I can switch bodies with her, so you'd be able to talk with her face-to-face," Skye explained and I bit my lip sharply. It sounded like a good idea, but not if Skye could get hurt.

"What does it involve?" I asked, nervously awaiting her answer. Inclining her head, she shook her bangs out of her eyes and narrowed them sharply.

"I would have to convince her. Skye still isn't aware of my presence; she thinks I'm just an imaginary voice in her head, not a real person. It's actually quite amusing," Skye joked and Aves laughed lightly, leaning against the wall. Alec shot her an amused look and walked over, placing a light kiss on her head. _He wouldn't have been able to stay mad anyways…_

"Is it safe?" I demanded and she shrugged heavily, shaking her head in uneasiness.

"Not necessarily. But I'm willing to take the chance," she answered, conjuring a squishy armchair with a wave of her wand.

"Not happening, Skye. You're not putting yourself in harm's way," I insisted and she raised a hand firmly.

"My mind, my choice," she replied, sitting in the chair.

"Now, pay attention. Skye Night is the Empress of Shape-Shifters, an immensely powerful being. Her forces currently only consists of her family and 4 other beings, though they are not as powerful as she is. I don't know how her powers work in this world, so be careful. Just try to calm her down, and explain everything to her, because I will only get a chance to convince her to cross over. Remember, she doesn't know anything about this world. You must convince her to join forces, because we will need her help," Skye stated simply and I nodded, kneeling by her arm. Smiling, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

At first nothing happened. Skye's body simply went stiff, and hard as metal, as the entirety of Cassandra's Army stared at her dubiously. Gradually, she began to glow white-blue and I saw her features change. Her blue hair turned a dark brown with green streaks, shooting into her skull until it reached shoulder-length. Skye's athletic figure softened, becoming curvy, yet retaining most of its height. Her face remained fairly the same, though her lips became thin and her skin pale. In short, she was the prettiest girl I had ever seen in my life, a fact which Lex grudgingly noticed, crossing her arms firmly in front of her chest and turning to Jack, whose face was impassive as he looked at the transformation.

Finally, Skye Ororo disappeared entirely and Skye Night opened her eyes, blinking her long lashes rapidly, to reveal shockingly light green eyes and lavender pupils. Suddenly, her eyes widened, as she glanced around the room, from Lex to Aves, and she stood up, glaring furiously at the ceiling.

"Where the fuck am I? Merope, get out of my head?" she yelled, rounding on us. Her eyes were full of anger, though I detected some hint of fear in her voice. The silence in the Room engulfed us and Will pushed me slightly forward. Stepping towards her, I smiled, and stuck out my hand.

"Skye, calm down. Merope isn't here. You're in another world and this is the Room of Requirement. My name's Cora," I told her softly, and her eyes darted to my hand, much like a cornered animal. I felt my eyes change color, and swore internally as her face blanched and she backed into the wall.

"Am I gonna marry Dumbledore in this one too?" she muttered and Justin burst out laughing, his mirth echoing off the tile walls of the large room.

"She's barmy!" he exclaimed and I turned at him, my eyes becoming black. Rolling his eyes, Will punched him and Aves exchanged a knowing glance with Lia at their joking around. I turned back to Skye, who looked at us like we were madmen. I stifled a laugh, but glared at them, before redirecting my attention to the defiant Skye.

"No, I highly doubt it. He has his eyes on someone else. Are you okay?" I asked and she laughed crazily, running a small hand through her thick hair.

"Do I bloody look okay? What the hell is happening? Who are you people?" she yelled, gesturing to us. Finally, she pointed at Lia and narrowed her eyes.

"And why do you look like someone who could be Harry's little sister?" she exclaimed and I glanced at Lia, who looked like a volcano ready to burst. Skye looked about the Room frantically before throwing her head back, her eyes fiery with anger.

"Draco, is this your idea of a joke? Because this is not making me laugh, it's just making me think of returning this ring you gave me!" Skye exclaimed, throwing her left hand wildly in the air. Justin tilted head to the side and groaned loudly, a frown on his face.

"Merlin's Beard! Why are all the hot ones already engaged?" he exclaimed, and Will blushed a deep scarlet, letting his bangs fall over his eyes as he leaned away from Justin. Lia shook her head at Justin and turned to Skye, her lead-stained hands up in surrender.

"Listen, I get how disorienting this must be. I went through this too." Lia explained, glancing at me nervously. I nodded determinedly and stepped forward, shaking my wild curls off my face. Skye looked at me cautiously and took a single step back.

"I can explain everything. Skye told us that you're the Empress of Shape-Shifters, the most powerful being in your world. Well, uh..." I stuttered, looking down. Lia rolled her eyes at my modest and stepped forward again, her hands on her hips.

"Now's not the time to be modest, Core," she told me and I shrugged. Smiling demurely, she turned back to Skye and began explaining, "She's the most powerful being in our world, a Newid. Essentially, she can control and manipulate everything. But, more importantly, she's the One, a person meant to save the entire world. As to that other question, I am not Harry's LITTLE sister. I happen to be 3 years older than him," she concluded, sniffing indignantly. Backing further away, Skye whirled around and began promptly banging her head against the wall, muttering about insanity and dreams.

"Oh, great. Now I'm meeting Harry Potter's big sister who's-" she mumbled, before frowning and turning on Lia, looking her small figure up and down.

"How old are you, kid?" she asked and Lia narrowed her eyes, taking a step back from Skye.

"I'm fourteen, dumbass!" Lia answered, looking at Skye as though she was insane. Rolling my eyes, I groaned in exasperation and glared daggers at Lia.

"You idiot, Lia! Did you forget what Skye told us? In HER world, Harry's seventeen, and missing, on a supposed hunt for Voldemort," I pointed at Skye and smiled kindly in her direction. Lia's eyes widened in panic and she pushed me aside, walking rapidly to Skye.

"Wait, what? That IMBECILE! Does he ever LISTEN? Is he okay, Skye? Please, I can't lose him," Lia said frustratingly and Zach pushed through the crowd, wrapping his lanky arms around her tiny waist. Skye smiled as she looked at them and sneered familiarly. _Holy shit, she looks like Snape!_

"Don't fret, kid. I have it from a very reliable source that dear old Volders wants him dead by his own hand, and for that to happen there'd have to be one big ass fight. And there's a whole army of people who wouldn't let Volders near him at such a time. My extended family at the front: Draco, Laud, mum, dad... Shit, dad!" she yelled and turned violently, throwing the door open and running down the corridor.

"Stay here!" I told the group and ran after her, hearing Lia's lithe footprints behind me.

"Skye, wait!" I yelled after her, but she was faster, her long legs carrying her swiftly downstairs, and into the Potions office.

We caught up to her just in time for us to see her enter the Potions office and throw her arms around Sev's batlike figure, leaving him stunned and holding a goblet away from her head.

"Daddy! How'd you get here?" she shrieked loudly and I heard Lia snicker beside me. She leaned against the doorframe and shook her head dubiously.

"Skye didn't mention this," she muttered and I shrugged, glancing at Sev, who looked as though someone had just gifted him a fluffy puppy named James. I noticed he was trying his hardest not to look at Lia.

"Cora, what is the meaning of this? And may I ask who's hugging me?" he snapped at me, and Lia burst into laughter, collapsing on a straight-backed wooden chair with a tomato-red face.

"Your daughter?" I replied nervously and Sev glared at me, pushing Skye away roughly. She landed on an armchair and glared at him, the hurt apparent on her face.

"I think I'd know whether or not I'd have a daughter, Cora," he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Well-" Lia began but Sev cut her off, sneering at her sharply.

"Ms. Munroe, at least make an EFFORT not to act to much like Lily," he pleaded, and Lia stood up, glaring at him stubbornly.

"As soon as you begin making an effort to treat me nicely, Batman," she replied, her eyes flashing dangerously. Skye paid little attention to this scene; she was too busy muttering about daughters and denial.

"Wait... Oh, you did not just say that! Imagine how pissed Storm will be because of that little line..." she yelled, but then tilted her head, regarding Sev with narrowed eyes.

"Wait... You are not my father! You look disgusting! Sev didn't look this bad, even when I first met him..." she exclaimed and Lia laughed loudly, her eyes wide with mirth.

"Oh, she's good!" Lia breathed between laughing and he glared darkly at her, earning him a tongue stuck out defiantly.

"You... I... Where the fuck is Draco? Where's my brother?" Skye asked, her face indicating growing panic. I stepped towards her but she backed away, throwing her hair off her face.

"Where's Anna? This is not real! Dad would've told me! Or Dumbledore's portrait would have!" she stated simply, looking at me dubiously.

"Are you sure Dumbledore's gonna stumble in, any moment, demanding to know why I wouldn't marry him? Is Draco going to come running in, wearing only my purple nightgown? Or are giant ostriches going to start hunting me?" she began muttering wildly, running her skeletal fingers through her hair

Suddenly, her eyes went wide with shock and she sat back down on her chair.

"I hate ostriches!" she shrieked, her face blanching in horror. I turned to Lia and she raised her eyebrows hesitantly.

"I thought Skye said she was the powerful being, not the most insane," she whispered and I rolled my eyes, turning to Skye.

"Okay, Skye. Please calm down. That is not Severus Snape," I said softly, as Sev stared at Skye beadily.

"And I do NOT look disgusting! I have a condition!" he stated, affronted. Lia rolled her eyes at him and placed her hands on her hips, throwing back her hair.

"What Batman? Are you allergic to soap?" she snapped and he bit back a laugh, shaking his head. Angry, I turned at them and blasted them apart with a shield, leaving them on opposite sides of the room.

"Stop ARGUING! Can't you say you're freaking her out? But, honestly, Sev, some soap wouldn't hurt. I'm saying this as your friend," I added sharply, as Skye freaked out, fighting against the shield I had placed on her.

"Fucking ostriches," she mumbled, before turning her eyes on me. I shuddered at her glare: nothing had scared me like that before.

"And what the hell, man? This is not effing funny? Gerrofme!" she struggled against my shield and I took a step back, steadying myself. Suddenly, her fingernails began to grow rapidly and I felt her tear apart my shield. _What in the name of MERLIN?_

"I'm warning you," she began, her voice quivering trepidatiously. Lia stepped forward and Sev backed away, placing the goblet on the table.

"You might want to clear out. I can't control it anymore," Skye warned, but her words caught in her throat, turning into a low growl. Dark hair began sprouting everywhere and as she screamed, her open mouth became a snout. Biting away the last of my shield, a wolf dived off the chair and landed on all fours, bearing its teeth at me and pacing towards Lia.

"Holy fucking shit! There's a wolf!" Lia yelled, backing away slowly.

"Now we have a firm grasp of the obvious, Lia, thank you!" I screamed back, biting my lip nervously. Letting all thought empty my mind, I tried to trap the wolf under a shield but found my powers blocked by something. I couldn't touch Skye, just like I couldn't touch Lia.

"It seemed like a good thing to say at the time!" Lia snapped back and I rolled my eyes, staring intently at the wolf, my eyes going blank again.

"Make a shield or something!" Lia insisted and I shook my head, sighing exasperatedly.

"Don't you think I've tried that, Lee? Something's blocking me! I need to try and change her back!" I exclaimed, feeling my eyes go white. The wolf began glowing, morphing, though not back into Skye. Its ears shrunk in and it grew bigger, as its fur became a dark brown. Even the tail shrunk, creating little more than a stub as the paws became immense. Finally, the bear's large figure occupied the small office almost completely and it threw its head back and growled deafeningly.

Once more it glowed, shrinking into a feline form, its brown fur becoming gold and its eyes growing wide and intelligent. Then the tail elongated, a small tuft of dark gold forming at the end, the same color as its magnificent mane. The great lion, the symbol of Gryffindor stood before me and roared loudly, making my curls fly haphazardly.

"I think we've determined that trying to change her back only makes it worse," Lia yelped and I nodded mutely, while Sev backed further into the corner. Suddenly, an idea came to me and I pulled out my wand.

"Maybe she'll respond to my Patronus," I mumbled to myself and pointed my wand to an empty space beside me, carefully so as not to alarm lion-Skye.

"_Expecto Patronum,_" I whispered and my silver lion sprung out of my wand, roaring loudly at Skye.

The other lion glanced at my Patronus and roared yet again, to which mine roared again, almost humanly. Suddenly, the golden lion backtracked, its fur turning black and its eyes even larger. And then the animal collapsed, exhausted.

**A/N: How'd I do? Please tell me what you thought of SkyeNight, as well as the other minor characters I brought forth such as Justin and Skye Ororo. If her character has intrigued you guys enough, please check out SkyeElf's beyond amazing story Skye Night. Trust me, you wont regret it! So, if you are confused, here is a brief explanation: Lia travels to one world, and Skye travels to ANOTHER, a different one, where the most powerful being isn't a newid, but the Empress of Shape-Shifters(to be explained later). Lia can only appear corporeally in her world because her other self is dead, so she is tied to Harry instead, her closest living relative. However, Skye Ororo's other self, Skye Night is alive, so Skye O. only travels into her mind, acting as a conscience of sorts. As her voice, she convinces Skye N. to switch with her, leaving Skye N. in Cora's world. And that's pretty much it. Please review, hugs and flames are welcome! More Skye in the next chapter, as well as some other people. Virtual hugs to everyone! We've reached the 150 review mark! You guys are inflating my ego, and I love you guys so much!**


	37. Knowing

**A/N: Yesterday was ridiculously hectic, so here's another Skye-involved chapter to fuss over. I'm sorry to say much of the confusion won't be cleared up just yet, but next chapter will clear the fuzziness, I promise. Congratulations to any of who will be able to see the premiere of Part 2 in theaters on the first day. Like Hermione, I have resolved to plan in advance and go in the later days, so as to avoid the crowds. I know, it's treason, but Harry Potter knows I love his world, unless Lia forgot to tell him…again. Anyways, this chapter includes a new character, humor and some mystery. The next chapter will be all inspirational and stuff, though! Thanks to the Elves, weirdgiraffe, Annika and HideAmongTheAshes for reviewing. This chapter goes out to Skye(I really hope your brother will feel better!) and Annika (read ahead to find out why!).**

Cora's POV

"Skye!" I yelled, running towards the collapsed animal. Its eyes fluttered wildly, and her fur retracted into her skin. Her body became human again and she shuddered wildly.

Clearing her mind, I placed my hands on her head and breathed deeply, as my energy transferred into her body through a burst of white light. Suddenly, Skye breathed sharply and sat up, her eyes disoriented and wide.

"Okay, first of all, when I get back home, I'm telling MY DAD to get me an extra bottle of Shazmage, because YOU," she muttered, pointing in a dark corner where Lia was standing, "desperately need it. Have you SMELLED yourself lately?" she exclaimed, a look of disgust crossing her features.

"Secondly, remind me to ask Anna for some anti-vertigo pills when I get home... If I ever get home... And, finally, you might want to cover you ears, girls," She said drunkenly, pointing vaguely where she must have thought we were standing, but instead gesturing to the very spot Sev currently occupied.

I covered my ears lightly, as Sev clamped his pallid hands firmly over his ears. Lia, on the other hand, stepped out of the shadows, her face contorted with anger. She walked briskly ti Skye and slapped her, hard, across the face.

"I DO NOT SMELL!" she screamed, before taking a step back and raising a thin eyebrow.

"Wait, why do I have to cover my ears?" she inquired, as Skye stood up quicker than I could have ever imagined, and pinned Lia to the wall.

"Oh, I thought you were Snape. My bad," she apologized, letting go of Lia's thin neck, though not before returning the favor and slapping Lia across the face as well.

"No one slaps me and gets away with it," she said firmly before shrugging and glancing at Lia, a sheepish look crossing her features.

"Anyways, you have one major thing, and it's to point out the obvious. Just like Lycan," she muttered, completely oblivious to the fact that we had no idea as to what the hell she was talking about. It was as though she was speaking Troll. Pushing herself off the wall, she sauntered lightly over to Sev's desk, seating herself at his chair.

"And just so you know," she added lightly, a smirk crossing her thin lips, "he's…under a permanent silencing charm. As for YOU," she turned in her chair to point at Sev, who was still covering his ears. Grudgingly, he removed his hands and stared at her cautiously, as though she were about to burst into flames.

"I apologize for calling you a girl. But you do smell ghastly," she commented, trying her hardest not to giggle. Finally, she turned to me and smiled, running a hand through her brown and green tresses.

"Sorry for freaking out. Draco always says I overreact," she admitted and I shrugged, my curiosity still flaming as to her relationship with Draco.

"Trust me, it's fine. I overreacted too. Or at least, Lia did. My memory's a bit fuzzy on that night, I was too stunned to remember anything," I reassured her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"And never, EVER call me KID!" Lia interjected venomously, rubbing the spot where Skye had slapped her, and leaving a dark lead mark in its place. I rolled my eyes and glanced at Skye, who was watching Lia with a bemused expression.

"Ignore her. Shall we return to the room? I have an entire group of people waiting for us," I asked, gesturing out the door.

Nodding, Skye stood up and shook her hair out of her eyes, sneering mischievously at me.

"I shall return, but only if this world's bat agrees to use Shazmage," she threatened, as Lia laughed at her "bat" comment. Skye tapped her foot expectantly to some unknown tune, though it sounded somewhat familiar.

"I refuse to sink to such a level!" Sev exclaimed, affronted and I rolled my eyes, turning to him with a pleading look on my face.

"Please, Sev. We need her help," I pleaded and Sev bit his lip, before making the mistake of glancing at Lia, whose expression had gone soft. A look of pain crossed Sev's face and he groaned, swiping his greasy mane to the side.

"Alright. I shall use this Shazmage," he stated arrogantly, and Lia smiled, satisfied. Waving a quick goodbye to Sev, I followed them out the door as Lia snorted in mirth.

"Works every time," she whispered to Skye, who glanced at her with a look of genuine surprise.

"Manipulating a teacher? Clever," she commented, laughing lightly.

"My hobby, or hobbies, was at a certain time, to torture both Umbridge and Draco's darling Aunt Bella. This year, it's my mission to undermine the Carrows. Bloody idiots, they are. But, of course, they won't suspect me. I am in the pureblood-obsessed house, even if old Volders knows about my parentage," she laughed, and I raised an eyebrow. _What was she referring to? She looked normal to me…Well, except for the lavender pupils and green highlights…Never mind, she's not normal. Like any of us actually are!_

"I knew it! You're a Slytherin too, huh?" Lia muttered, smiling to herself. Then her face fell, and she turned to Skye, an angry look in her eyes.

"And don't you DARE call me a Manipulator! That's Isabella's deal, not mine."

Skye shot a questioning look my way and I raised a hand, shaking my head.

"Everything will be explained in due time. First, however, explain that little animal outburst back there. I couldn't touch you, much less change you back. I've changed a werewolf before, but I couldn't touch you!" I exclaimed and Skye smirked, a familiar arrogant expression on her face. _Why, oh WHY must she act like Aidan? The world hates me!_

"My darling girl, I am the Emperatiz de Metamorfisme! I know, what the hell were they thinking? Anyways, I am the Empress, and because of that, sometimes annoying fact, I seem to have powers I do not know about. These freakishly helpful powers tend to help in difficult times, though it couldn't fix a simple broken wrist," she stated grandly, muttering that last bit under her breath. My anger flared up at her tone, but she seemed not to notice.

"And as far as the animal outburst…Well, I'm not good at controlling my anger," she admitted, smirking slightly. I felt my eyes go black all of a sudden, and a wave of rage hit me as I pinned her to the wall with a shield. _I'm not a __**child!**_

"Let's get one thing straight, okay? I am not the type of person that gets mad easily. Usually, I'm kind of happy-go lucky. But just because we are younger than you, does not mean we are any less powerful, or that we have gone through any less than you. Just so that you get the picture of what I have to go through, let me tell you how I discovered my powers. I was trying to save a friend who was falling from his broom, so I tried to catch him, but I slipped. My powers protected me, and they threw a shield up to slow my falling. But my friend, I landed him in the hospital for 2 weeks, because he was thrown into the stands. As far as I'm concerned, there's only one reason why I'm doing this. I've heard my prophecy, and I'm doomed to hurt someone, somehow. I'm doing this so no one else will get hurt. Not because of me. Stop treating us like children, okay?" I yelled loudly, feeling the shield reverberate with the force of my anger. Ask for help, sure. Being put down by an Animagus-type. Hell no!

Baring her teeth like a wolf, her fingernails grew again, ripping my shield to shreds and knocking the breath out of me.

"Just so you know, I call Anna 'dear girl' too, and it's because she's dear to me, so get that idea that I'm treating you like children out of your head!' Skye' fingernails grows again and she tears through Cora's shield. 'Second of all, at the age of fourteen I had to tell my best friend - someone I was deeply in love with, that we couldn't be together, because I was destined to be with a mate. Second of all,' Skye's eyes begins to water, 'I've seen my destiny too, and you wanna know what I saw? I saw my brother lying dead at my side! I saw my father in ruins, because the woman he loves was dead in his arms. I saw Draco's fucking heart being torn out, because I was lying next to a wall, lifeless. I don't know what you expected my story to be, but don't be mistaken, I have no happy ending! My happy ending? Is NOW! With Draco, Laud and Sev while I still have them!" she shrieked, her teeth continuously bared as she glared at me with frigid rage in her eyes. The familiar electric feeling flowed over my skin and my hands sparkled with electricity as I glared at her in anger.

Rolling her eyes, Lia stepped in between the two of us and blasted us apart with a shield, succeeding in making us all the more furious.

"Guys! Stop fighting! I think we can all agree that our lives suck. Right now, every single one of us is dispensable. In order to fix that, we need to work together. My brother will not die because of your worthless bickering! Just deflate your egos a bit, okay?" Lia exclaimed and I glared at her while Skye bit her lip and retracted her canine fingernails.

"Fine," she said grudgingly, before turning away and muttering under her breath, "Daddy dearest, your spells will yet again be used against you."

I sighed and felt my eyes brighten as I glanced at Skye, my face sheepish.

"I am so SO sorry, Skye. I had no right to do that. I'm not the angry type, usually. That's Lia's job," I inclined my head towards Lia who glared at me venomously.

"_Wat is ek?Jou fokken lyfwag?"(Translation: What am I? Your fucking bodyguard?)_

I looked at Skye and raised my head, forcing myself to look into her bright eyes.

"Friends?" I asked and she smiled at us, her nose crinkling.

"Always. But please don't get offended when I call you kid. I'm channeling Sage when I do that," she smiled fondly and I exchanged a confused look with Lia that Skye missed completely.

"I guess," I answered hesitantly. I still didn't trust her fully. "But we need to introduce you to the rest of Cassandra's Army," I said, inclining my hand down the corridor, which we proceeded to begin walking down. After several minutes, however, Lia stopped and smiled to herself, a new light crossing her eyes and warming her features.

"Wait, you said Harry was seventeen in your world. What's he like?" she asked and Skye smiled at Lia's sisterly behaviour. I had never seen her so concerned, not even about Zach.

"He's one brave man, Lia. Charming is his own way, stubborn too. And incredibly naïve. But a great friend. Though, he's a horrible dancer," Skye mused, grimacing at a lost memory. "You should be proud," she smiled and Lia chuckled, before frowning at Skye's figure.

"Wait, how do you know he's a horrible dancer? I mean, he is a total and complete clutz off of a broom, but how would YOU know? Last time I checked, you were yelling about Draco, who I can only guess is Malfoy, the one person who hates my brother. Except for Voldemort, that is. And the Death Eaters. Aww, fuck, you get my point!" Lia exclaimed angrily and Skye laughed,

"I was his date to the Yule Ball," she explained, laughing at the memory and shuffling her feet. "And he and Draco were friends ever since I was in a sort of coma last year. I couldn't believe it either, because he was one of the first people Draco told about the engagement in South Africa," she grinned and Lia smiled brightly before glancing at me in confusion.

"Yule Ball?" she muttered and I shook my head, glancing at Skye.

"I'll explain later, don't worry," I assured her and Lia stared back at Skye with a bemused look in her eyes.

"So Harry and Draco are friends in your world? And you're engaged to Draco? What about the others, Ron and Hermione?" Lia asked, her curiosity taking over. I rolled my eyes and pulled Morgana's book out of my bag, letting it levitate in front of me so I could read.

"Wait, how do you know about us all?" Skye asked Lia and she blushed crimson, rubbing her charcoal-stained hands together.

"Oh, yeah. Forgot to mention that, didn't I? I'm a Traveler too. But I travel to a different universe, in which Harry is only 12 right now, considering how differently the time works. I'm Alesea Potter, the first child of James and Lily. But because my other self is dead, I am tied to Harry instead, and I can choose where my corporeal form appears. Ron and Hermione don't know about me yet, because Harry is still not convinced I exist. But I've seen everything, I've been there. I saw Lily and James get killed, I even saw Quirrel and the Chamber of Secrets. I haven't exactly been able to do much, but I can appear now, and talk to him. You don't exist in the other world," Lia explained and Skye grinned, nodding in understanding.

"Good, because on of me is enough. I'll ask Harry when…if…I see him again, if he knows you," Skye assured her, smiling. "I'm going to kill my dad," she muttered and Lia glanced at her with wide eyes.

"Why wouldn't you see him again?" Lia mumbled, her expression suddenly panicked.

"I assume he's on a hunt for Voldemort. It might as well be a suicide mission," Skye said simply and I felt like banging my head against the wall. _She and Ron must get along real well. Sensitivity of a blunt axe and all…_ Lia, however, seemed to be more concerned with Harry's idiocy.

"I'm going to fucking kill him, it's official. Do me a favor, and slap him hard the next time you see him," Lia spat, shaking her head at her younger brother's stupidity. _Well, it runs in the family…_

"Umm…Sure…But it all depends on if he's hurt or not. He might run into Bella, and she'll… Well, she'll play with him," Skye admitted grudgingly and Lia shot her a questioning look.

"How would she get to him? She's not a Traveler," Lia asked and Skye raised an eyebrow. Ahh, lost in translation.

"Bellatrix Lestrange doesn't need to be a Traveler to get to him. She lives…Normally, I guess?" Skye frowned and looked at Lia, her green eyes probing.

"Lia, who do you think I'm talking about?" she asked and Lee laughed sarcastically.

"Isabella Carmicheal. Grand Bitch Extraordinair. She's this Manipulator and she's got the entire Wizarding Community against Cora, because they think she's controlling everyone. It's as though she knows about everything, but she can't. Who's Bellatrix Lestrange?" Lia asked, the curiosity returning to her voice, though the bitter venom remained. _God help the person who goes after someone she cares about_!

"Draco's darling aunt," she answered, still confused. "A sick, twisted person. Tried to kill me twice already," Skye commented bitterly, suddenly jeering.

"That bitch can't touch me now, though."

"Why? And how would she find Harry? I'm so going to THROTTLE HIM, the _idioot_!" she shrieked madly and Skye glanced at her, smiling familiarly.

"She owes me her life. I, for some sickening reason, saved her life. And if Harry is found, he'll be taken to Malfoy Manor instantly, where Voldemort's Headquarters are. Bella's residing there, and she'll want to torture him as much as she possibly can, and then let Voldemort kill him," Skye answered simply.

Suddenly, Lia stopped and inhaled sharply, her eyes glistening with tears as she raised a hand to her mouth. I ran over and wrapped my arm around her petite shoulders, feeling her tremble under my grip.

"Really, Skye? Do you really think that was the best way to go about things? Harry's her little brother, and she can't do ANYTHING to protect him. Her first vision was that of the Potters' murder, and she had to simply stand by and watch. How would you feel if you were that helpless? If your brother had to grow up alone, and you place the blame on yourself, and you found out the gory details of his threatened life?" I whispered dangerously but Lia shook her off, and looked up, her eyes murderous. Shaking off my hand, she ran up the stairs and into the corridor before glancing back at us.

"I'm going to kill that bitch! As a matter of fact, I'm going to kill ALL of them!" she screamed, running down the hall. Skye looked at me exasperatedly and shook her head, as though taken aback by my stupidity.

"Wouldn't you want to know the truth if it were you, Cora?' Skye asked me, following Lia and stopping her with a hand on the shoulder. Lia whirled around and looked at Skye angrily, surprised at her speed.

'Do you really think I'd just let him die, Lia? Harry's my friend, and one of the few that's true. I'd kill for my friends," Skye whispered and Lee nodded firmly, looking at her with fire in her eyes.

"Good. Kill them, Skye. Kill the bloody bastards for screwing with my little brother," she whispered, looking at Skye stubbornly as she held out her hand.

Smiling evilly, she took Lia's hand and shook it firmly. "Deal. I have a good feeling about you," she said firmly, turning back to me.

"About your destiny…Maybe you'll find out it was a lie. I recently found out the one I was given first was a recycled one," Skye tried to reassure me but I shook my head and smiled.

"Thanks, but I highly doubt it. Just like Harry's it was made for me personally. And I was there during its inception," I admitted, but I looked at Skye, and felt my mind go blank. Suddenly, their figures disappeared, only to be replaced by a soft golden light.

"Though I have a feeling that you should strongly reconsider what you've determined to be your ending. You've misunderstood," I said dreamily, their figures coming back into my sight, as I caught the book and stuffed it back in my bag.

"Serenity told me I was too young to know the real one. She was afraid I'd do something stupid. I made her tell the truth this time. Though I truly hope you're right, Cora," Skye said softly and I grinned at her, my eyes twinkling.

"Not to blow my own horn, but I usually am," I joked and they began laughing, walking through the door and into the Room.

Everyone stopped talking instantly and turned to Skye, looking at her with alarmed expressions.

"So…Hi, everyone. Sorry, but I hate ostriches," Skye said brightly, in a failed attempt to lighten the mood. Still, everyone laughed awkwardly until Lex stepped forward regally, throwing back her curls. I rolled my eyes as she held out her hand with an affronted look on her porcelain face.

"Alexandreiana Katerina Dracul. I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Traveler," she said dramatically, ignoring the snickers from the crowd behind her. I glared at them and they quieted down, Lia stepping away to stand by Zach's side.

"Skyler Night, soon to be Malfoy. Thank you, but I am no Traveler. That would be the blue-haired pest," Skye said awkwardly, shaking Lex's hand. Lex smiled widely, revealing her sharpened canines.

"At least we can agree on that much," she chuckled, stepping aside so as not to freak Skye out too much. Apparently, their joint hatred for Skye had brought them together.

Next, the entire group formed a quasi-line, with Justin at the front, tousling his black, purple-streaked hair and bearing a winning grin on his face.

"So, this Draco person…Are you guys serious?" he asked and I saw Will blanch, moving further away and cleaning his glasses furiously. Raising an eyebrow, Skye lifted her left hand.

"Obviously," she stated and leaned forward. I fine-tuned my hearing and heard her whisper, "You're not fooling me. I know your secret." Justin turned bright red and smiled brightly at Will, who turned away from him, his ice-blond hair shielding his red eyes. Skye turned and winked at me before turning back to find a very excited Amber.

"I am Amber. It is an honor to meet you, my Empress," she said softly, bowing deeply.

Skye stared at her, dumbfounded before pulling Amber up gently.

"Wow…hi. I appreciate that. Oh, and I have good news for you. The lycanthropy movement might soon come to an end," she replied gently and Amber grinned widely, tears appearing in her electric eyes. Ian smiled at Skye gratefully and wiped the tear from Amber's cheek, introducing himself to Skye.

"Thank you, my Empress. Please tell him how grateful I am," she whispered, shaking her head rapidly and stepping away. I'd never seen her so flustered, Amber had an incredible steady head. She backed further into the dark, creating jets of cold water to cool down her violently red face.

"Will," he muttered, sticking his hand out with a cordial smile on his lips. I tried to glance him in the eyes, but they were covered by his long bangs, a sure sign that he wanted to be left alone right now.

"'Sup, Will," Skye said cheerily, shaking his hand. "Your dream will soon be a reality," she stated knowingly winking at him, and then at Justin. Will exhaled sharply and glanced at her with a sneer on his lips.

"Says the girl who has no fucking idea," he replied, rolling his eyes and collapsing in a chair, twirling his wand. Aves shot him a sympathetic look and skipped forward, leaving a sullen Alec at the back of the line.

"Pardon him, he's been down lately. I'm Aves," she said brightly, trying to surreptitiously adjusting her sweater so Skye wouldn't see her scars. No matter what I had tried, my powers couldn't heal her scars, not after what Rhain had done to her.

I noticed that it had gone very silent, Skye and Aves simply staring at each other. Oh, so Aves can talk to her because of Skye's powers. _Fun…_

Leo stepped forward, his silver hair spiked in its usual form and waved shyly.

"Draco's a lucky guy," he commented innocently, a shadow crossing his face. I noticed Skye clench her teeth and her hands form fists, as she looked him up and down.

"I'm Leo. Ravenclaw's Quidditch Captain."

She stepped forward and bared her teeth at him, "Why do I have the sudden urge to either decapitate or emasculate you?" she asked him, and he rolled his eyes, though the corners of his lips tugged upwards.

"Seriously?" he exclaimed dubiously, shaking his head. "It's the Skye in you," he groaned, walking away with an exasperated expression. Skye blushed red and grinned.

"Sorry!" she yelled at him, biting her lip before smacking her forehead. "So THAT'S why I almost killed Davies the other day!" she exclaimed, dumbfounded and I shot her an amused glance.

The rest of the group stepped forward to introduce themselves and I took the opportunity to notice the amount of new members we had gathered. I gasped as I realized how little of them I knew, as many were older, even 5th years! Coincidentally, I noticed that one of the group, a lanky, blonde-red haired girl I had never seen before hadn't gone to greet her. Instead, she was simply staring at her absently from a seat in the library, flipping the pages of a large book and running her hands over it. She looked oddly familiar… I shook my head and turned back to the group, just as Alec stepped forward, his tanned hand stuck out, but his eyes averted to the ground.

"Alec Carmicheal," he introduced himself softly, as though ashamed by his very existence, a fact I knew to be true. Reaching forward and ignoring his hand, Skye's pale fingers lifted up his chin so his eyes bore directly into hers.

"Hugs make everything better," she said silently, a grin spread across her face. He laughed and relented, allowing her to hug him tightly. My eyes scanned the room and I saw Aves glaring at Skye with unwonted murder in her emerald eyes. Laughing loudly, Skye backed away and nodded at her, which made Aves' eyes light up in mirth.

"I want a hug!" she exclaimed loudly, blushing furiously at the look of ridicule Lia shot her. Skye opened her arms widely and shook her head.

"Then don't just stand there making me look stupid!" she objected and Aves hugged her tightly before pulling away with a mischievous smirk on her pink lips.

"You don't need me to make you look stupid, Empress," she said jokingly, but Skye's expression drooped as she averted her eyes and turned around, trying to hide the fact that tears were forming in her eyes. My senses picked up the sound of tears splashing on her cheeks and I slapped Aves upside the head.

"Aves, I love you, truly, I do. But you can be so STUPID sometimes!" I yelled at her and walked to the slumped over Skye, wrapping my arm around her shoulders. She jumped abruptly at my touch and walked straight into the reddish-blond girl, who stared at us dreamily with wide, brown eyes.

"I am sorry, Skyler Night," she mused trancelike and Skye exchanged a confused look with me.

"Sorry, my fault, uh…My equilibrium is questionable…Gosh, I hate alliteration right now," she said randomly and I noticed the girl's navy sweater vest. Looking around, I spotted Chase and snuck over, whispering softly.

"Who is that?" I asked and he sighed exasperatedly, as though he wanted to avoid the question.

"That? A new recruit, one of Skye's friends. Her name is Annika Corvikari, the lunatic of Ravenclaw," he scoffed and rolled his eyes, his near-black eyes glinting.

"What's wrong?" I asked and he raised a black eyebrow.

"You haven't heard of her? She's insane, muttering to herself and believing in the most ludicrous things. I don't see how she's a Ravenclaw," he muttered darkly and I smiled widely.

"Well, I wish I had the same strength in my beliefs, Chase. Don't know about you, but I could do with a little faith," I said softly and he patted my shoulder with his big hand as I walked back to Skye, who was staring at the girl across from her. Annika had begun laughing airily, and she stared intently at Skye, her gaze penetrating.

"It will grow on you, as well as your equilibrium. It may even save you life someday," she stated lightly, her voice firm and assured, as though the event were already set in stone. Smiling absently, she redirected her eyes to the large book in front of her, running her hands over it, and I saw a thin stream of black flow into her fingerprints. She was absorbing the words through touch, no wonder she knew so much.

"Well, I certainly hope so," Skye laughed awkwardly, before shaking her head and turning to me with a grateful smile. "Thanks, Cora."

"No problem. What happened?" I asked worriedly and Annika stared blankly at Skye again.

"You fought with your father and fiancé, didn't you? I wouldn't worry, Empress. They have already forgiven and forgotten," she said reassuringly, her soprano voice dreamy, and Skye flung her arms around the girl's willowy figure. Stumbling backwards, Annika's eyes twinkled dazedly and she was caught by several Hufflepuffs as she nearly backed into the glass orbs we had set up for people that wanted to use Divination to our advantage.

"Don't be so sure. This time it was serious," Skye whispered and Annika shook her head vaguely, staring at the ceiling.

"And what makes you think that I don't know that, Empress? Ask me any question," she said dreamily, tucking a tangled lock of her hair behind her ear. Skye raised an eyebrow and walked towards her with gleaming eyes.

"What is the form of my Patronus?" she asked and Annika's warm brown eyes glazed over.

"A wolf," she answered absently, her thoughts clearly directed on more important things.

Skye laughed to herself and took a step back. "Um... Actually... I'm a Sytherin, through and through. You just described Draco's patronus to me," Skye admitted, a sympathetic smile on her face. Glaring at Skye half-heartedly, Annika regarded her with mild interest before stepping forward drunkenly.

"You didn't let me finish," she mused and Skye blushed, gesturing with her hand for Annika to continue.

"A wolf, paired with a snake. Those are some of the best cards you could be dealt, Empress, but they are yours to turn as you wish. As your brother said, 'You've misunderstood,' and about more than you realize," she whispered eerily, adjusting her dead grass necklace. The silence in the Room engulfed us as Skye stared at her before smiling widely and helping her back onto her chair.

"I truly hope so," she whispered, and turned back to the group, causing Lex to blink rapidly and lean against Jack.

"Now, my name is Skye. Not Skyler, nor Empress. Furthermore, I noticed that you guys often use the term, 'Merlin's Beard.' Please halt this action whilst I'm here, it's offensive," she stated bluntly, to the surprise of many, though no one pointed it out. Skye was crucial, and we weren't going to insult her.

"Spoken like a true descendant of Merlin," Annika pointed out absently, flicking a piece of dust off the book before continuing to run her hand over the old pages.

I gasped and stared at Skye, a vat of loathing threatening to spill.

"You're a descendant of Merlin?" I stated, and burst into raucous laughter, the blood surging to my face like a geyser. Skye glared at me with her arms crossed and raised an eyebrow.

"Does my Great Grandaddy's beard amuse you?" she asked and I shook my head, pulling myself to my feet shakily.

"No, not at all. It's just that..well...your Great Grandaddy kind of smeared the name of the greatest magical theorist of all time," I answered, a proud look on my face as I recalled the detailed drawing in my book.

"Morgana le Fay, another ancestor of mine," I added simply at her confusion, shaking the curls out of my face.

"Morgana found out that he was running a Nargle smuggling operation. It was a huge scandal," Annika said vaguely, before spinning randomly in a circle. _A Loony Lovegood if I ever saw one…but so am I, so don't judge!_

Skye sucked her tongue and chuckled, smiling sheepishly at me.

"Sounds like something I'd do. I AM a Slytherin, after all. I'm gonna get Luna to join me in smuggling... Well, not Nargles, those Gurdyroots, perhaps... Anyways, Merlin is the reason for what I am, and I quite like being able to control the elements. It's fun," Skye admitted, turning to me as if she had realized something incredibly significant.

"M'pop has an owl named Morgana," she stated simply and the vat in my chest overflowed, spilling white-hot rage into my veins.

"Morgana was the one who figured out that we weren't alone in the world. She was marked as a nutcase though, a stain on the magical community. I do not blame you for what your ancestors have done, but please do not insult her. She is not merely an owl," I replied, affronted, forcing myself to calm down. Satisfied at my calm demeanor, I gestured to the crowd behind me with proud eyes.

"We are Cassandra's Army. What do you want to know?" I asked, a smirk crossing my lips.

**A/N: How'd I do? I know, it wasn't very exciting, but I enjoyed writing it, so I hope you guys liked it too. And what do you guys think of the new character, Annika? She becomes increasingly relevant, if any of you managed to figure out the meaning behind her name (I took it apart and put it back together so many times, it's fairly impossible). And I had to include Skye's reactions to everyone, considering she does play a role in the story! Please leave a review, even if you never have before. I love new reviewers (and old) to death! Virtual orange and green gummibear statues to those who review!**


	38. New Forces

**A/N: Hey you guys! Okay, so this is the last Skye chapter(for now), and I'm really pumped for the next. Congrats to all of you who are seeing the new Harry Potter on premiere day. My favorite plaid fedora is being tipped in respect. A special thank you goes to SkyeElf for helping me corroborate on this, as well as a huge hug. ****Ek hoop hy kry beter! If that was accurate, I used Google translate. This chapter tends to explain everything, so be careful when you read. It also has some fluff and humor, because I always picture Lia/Zach as the eternally argumentative couple. Kind of like Ron/Hermione, but Ron was an ass and I hated him, so he gets a makeover into Zach, who is amazingly awesome and then Hermione isn't much like Lia, so she becomes Goth and Harry's sister. It's very complex, but the tension remains. Thanks to the Elves, im-the-doctor(I missed you!), slytheringirl4life(honestly, so do I, but my skills will never match Skye's, so I apologize for that), HideAmongTheAshes(of course you're not OLD, but VERDAMMT NOCH MAL, I don't know what to say!) and weirdgiraffe for reviewing. I was so ecstatic when I read all of them! This chapter is for Skye and Leanna.**

Cora's POV

Skye glanced at me sheepishly and stuffed her hands into her pockets.

"I didn't mean to insult Morgana, I'm sorry. It was just a random thing I remembered. What do I want to know? Well, why am I here, for starters?" she asked and I chuckled darkly. _Of all the bleeding questions she could have asked, it HAD to be the one I had trouble answering!_

"That's not a very easy question. Basically, there is a prophecy, in which it states that the seams of the Universe will open, causing the worlds to collide. We don't know who, when why, where or how it will occur, but I know that people will die because I will attempt to protect them. I also know that I will save, but ruin in the end. In short, our worlds will end if I can't figure out what will happen. Because of Skye, we now know that you are facing a battle as well, as is Harry. The battles will converge, and all hell will break loose. I am talking about the very essence of magic here! We need your help. And the help of everyone we can get," I explained, my voice grim and my eyes a dark blue. Clearing his throat, Lex stepped forward and looked at Skye pleadingly, her eyes urgent beneath the untameable hair.

"Thanks to Isabella, Cora has no credibility. Besides the people in this room, no one else believes her. We can't take on this foe with 20 mismatched kids. Not even our spirit will help us achieve that. Skye, I know that your battle is great, more wretched than we can ever imagine. Annika has told us of that much," she stated, gesturing to the absent-minded redhead, who smiled dreamily and continued to hum.

"But the Universe needs you. We need you. This war is vaster than anything we could have ever imagined."

Skye nodded and glanced around the room, only to be met by an array of nervous faces. I had absolutely no doubt that half of them would leave if she declined our pleas.

Turning to me, she bowed deeply and I blushed a vivid scarlet. "I serve all who need my help," she stated grandly and I felt the hope back into my bones as the room let out a collective sigh.

"Don't bow, please. It makes me panic," I whispered feverishly and Skye rose, failing to hide the smirk that had crossed her lips.

Suddenly, Annika stepped forward and tilted her head slightly, placing her pale hand n Skye's with a blank look in her eyes.

"You're still wondering about our world," she stated knowingly, as though it had been a fact written in _Hogwarts, A History._

Skye laughed loudly and nodded. "Well, like no shit, eh? But I'll figure it out…Sometime," she mused, pulling her hand away from Annika's feather-light grip. Closing my eyes, I could feel that Annika's absent aura was severely freaking out Skye and she had begun radiating an unknown magic in response, just as she had done before her transformation. _Wait, did I just detect auras? Jo would be proud…_

"No need to keep you in the dark when you can be in the light. I'm sure we have plenty of time," Annika added, waving her hand at something invisible.

"By the way, you need not be exceedingly angry with Serenity. She does not have your courage, much less your strength and she was only trying to protect you," she finished simply, adjusting a bracelet made of purple beads that smelled like rotting Sneezewort. I resisted the urge to vomit at the smell. _Wait, who's Serenity? _

I saw Skye's eyes cloud over, the bright green turning dark and the purple pupils turning an empty black.

"'She had no right to lie to me. I'm not giddy enough to attempt suicide," she spat venomously before her eyes brightened somewhat and she burst into wild laughter for no apparent reason. I looked at her worriedly, and glanced at Annika, who was simply smiling vaguely and shaking her head.

"Don't worry. It's the aftereffects of a Sleeping Potion. She was allergic to it," the eerie girl explained in a dreamy voice, and I half expected her to vanish into thin air. Then she turned to Skye and continued her urging, completely oblivious to the fact that Skye had now begun to randomly salsa.

"You may be a Slytherin through and through, but that doesn't mean you cannot forgive. She spent her life living in fear, and she spends her afterlife like that as well. I'm not saying that what she did was right, simply that she deserves some sympathy," Annika stated sagely, before stumbling promptly into Chase, who rolled his eyes and helped her into the plush armchair.

Skye ignored this and ran up to Xander, her face excited.

"Do you have a banana?" she yelled and he grinned, pulling one out of his bag and handing it to her, as Bex rolled her dark eyes.

"Naturally. Carry one around at all times, in case I need a quick getaway. Why?" he asked quizzically, but Skye simply yanked it out of his hands and peeled it halfway, beginning to waltz elegantly around the room.

"Skye? Skye, are you okay?" I practically yelled, watching dubiously as Annika joined her, waltzing along to a melancholy melody.

Finally, Skye wheeled around and looked at me nervously, dropping the banana on the ground, to Xander's dismay. Annika, however continued to dance, promptly slipping on the peel and falling to the floor before erupting in giggles.

"Guess Aves was right," Skye muttered and my eyes went dark as I glared at Aves, who attempted to smile innocently.

"I'm not going to ask," I muttered and Amber stepped forward, glancing at Skye like a deity, her back slightly hunched.

"So, what can you tell us about your world?" she asked and I felt a surge of pity rise through me as her eyes fluttered nervously. Something Skye was doing forced Amber o bow down to her, and the rage flushed through my veins like a warm Butterbeer.

"Um... Okay... In my world Dumbledore's dead, Voldy is still in power, but he's not what I'm worried about. Oh, and Voldemort has a brother, Lycan, but he turned on his mother... Um... My dad is the biggest blood traitor at present time, as are the Malfoys... What else?" Skye answered, though she seemed uncomfortable with the way Amber was looking at her. I felt like screaming but I bit my tongue sharply, tasting metal as the blood began flowing.

"If Voldy's not what you're worried about, then who ARE you worried about?" Will asked, speaking up for the first time in ages, though he refused to meet her eyes.

"And what about your powers?" Alec added, tightening his grip around Aves, making my heart melt at the sight. _Seriously, Core? You're such a romantic…_

"Who did I accuse first when I arrived?" Skye answered, as though the answer was the most obvious thing. Then she turned to Alec and grinned at the thought of his question. "My powers? Uh…I'd rather show you than tell you," she admitted and I snorted derisively, remembering the expression on Lia's face as Skye's grey wolf cornered her.

"Merope? Voldemort's poor mother?" Will asked, the shock plastered permanently on his face. My feelings roughly matched his: I had always pitied the pathetic-seeming Merope Gaunt.

Skye laughed madly and looked at Will as though he were mad, making my fists clench even tighter. "Poor? Now, that's amusing. She inherited everything when Voldy's pop died, and when Lycan's dad died. So, poor? My arse!" she objected and I had the urge to slap her across the face. _Had she no humility, no mercy? Typical Slytherin!_

"Not poor as in no money, Skye! Have you ever considered what she went through? Her brother and dad were horrible to her, and as soon as she found happiness, it was taken away from her. No matter what she's done, I think she deserves some pity, some mercy. Everyone does," Will said softly, looking at her for the first time. Justin looked at him from across the Room with softened eyes and mussed his hair even further, trying to hide the single tear that ran down his tanned cheek. The entire room turned to him and I made a mental note of those words, deciding to use them when faced with any situation. In a way, Will deserved my powers more than I did, he was kinder and wiser.

Shrugging her shoulders, Skye stepped through the crowd and smiled at Will affectionately, before biting her lip and throwing her hair over her shoulder.

"Yes, everyone does, I agree. But what if you don't want it? What if you planned for your own children's death? What if she'd held your mum captive for years? Don't you think Storm TRIED to show her mercy? She killed her second husband in cold blood. I've seen what goes on in her mind, and it's not a day in the park. Tell me, how can one expect sympathy, if one does not give it? I saw her memories. She killed both her father and brother, without a thought. I pity her, but after that coma she put me in," Skye explained, trailing off into silence in the end, obviously conflicted as to her hatred. Shivering slightly, Will nodded and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Holy shit. I reckon it's a different Merope too. I guess I'd be just as vengeful as you are. No, scratch that. I AM as vengeful as you are," he muttered, sending dark sparks from his wand. I exchanged a glance with Lex and Amber, but they shrugged, obviously as clueless as I was. Unexpectedly, Justin walked over and pulled him into the library, whispering softly.

"Ha! Told you so. Pay up," Chase muttered, smiling, to a random Gryffindor 4th year and they grumbled, handing over a Galleon.

Stepping forward, I forced myself between them and glared lioness-like, gleeful at the sight of their blanching faces.

"Do not ridicule people based on what they have no control. That is just as low as the enemy we all fight," I stated sharply, pocketing the Galleon with the intention of giving it to Will later.

"Did I miss something?" Skye asked curiously, glancing at the retreating figures of Justin and Will. Amber snorted and looked down before answering her. _Oh Merlin, would you stop making her do that?_

"Guys being idiots. All around," she muttered, smiling innocently at Ian, who was gazing at her with a vexed expression.

"Okay…What else do you guys wanna know?" Skye asked, shrugging her thin shoulders. Her piercing gaze fell upon the squished banana on the floor, laying in the middle of a viscous, shiny liquid.

"And WHAT did you dip that thing in?" she exclaimed, pointing to the squished fruit, as Annika giggled randomly, trying to brush the substance off her skirt.

Xander smiled mischievously and shrugged nonchalantly, "A special mixture we like to call Elixir of Snape. It's exceedingly greasy, more so than anything you find…normally," he explained, before looking down as Bex rolled her eyes, her hair turning a sandy brown quite similar to his. My eyes wandered to Lex, whose head was tilted dog-like, as her red-streaked eyes penetrated Skye's back.

"So you're fighting Voldemort's mom?" she asked dubiously, shrugging her shoulders and crossing her arms. "What about forces? Skye said you had fighters," she admitted grudgingly, in remembrance of the blue-haired girl she loathed deeply. _Leave it to Lex to remember the reason of the meeting._

"I call them family, though none of us are related. Anna, she's like a horse-whisperer, except with all equine creatures, and she can shift into a centaur; Draco... Um... He's like me, except I can manipulate the elements and he can cause one to go insane; Zane... He's the one that'll bring the lycanthropy movement to an end. He's the one true shape-shifter, the original werewolf, poor kid saw his family being killed; and Sage, he can phase into a merman. Though he prefers the term siren. And then there's Lycan, Voldy's brother. I've turned him on his mother, and he's fighting for us. Of course there's Laud and Storm, Veela, two very protective, strong and vicious creatures. And, more recently, every senior in Slytherin, save for Vince and Greg. Dad, a blood traitor, and he'll pull a rabbit out of his ear for those he cares about. Speaking of dad, the Snape in this world won't be greasy for much longer," she assured the group, to collective gasps. Lex nodded, satisfied and leaned back against the wall, allowing Jack to play with one of her ferocious curls.

Amber stepped forward and placed a hand over her small mouth, gasping wordlessly, "Oh, Gods! He saw his family killed? I wish I could meet him," Amber muttered, and I felt the air become moist as her aura became quite morose.

Suddenly, I heard Annika's girlish giggle stop and she turned to Skye with a deep look in her eyes that made my senses scream.

"So, now that we know about you, you wish to know about us," she stated. It wasn't a question.

Skye nodded and sat on the ground, the rest of the group following her, conjuring pillows or leaning against their friends to remain comfortable. Thankfully, Lex conjured her famous blue flames in the fireplace, instantly heating the Room to a comfortable level as Skye glanced up and smiled at us.

"What's the story?" she asked before raising an eyebrow and looking pointedly at a very abashed Aves, who shook her head. Pretending to ignore the exchange, and planning to throttle Aves later, I turned to Skye and began pacing, not wanting to sit down.

"I guess we should start from the beginning, huh? Well, let's start with an explanation of our world. WE have witches and wizards, but Harry or Voldemort don't exist. Now, there are beings in our world called Paraxenes, or wizards with powers beyond the norm. For example, Amber controls water, and Xander here can detect the powers of others. I'm a rarity, the most powerful Paraxene there can be: a Newid. Basically, I have control over EVERYTHING, which means I can heal, move objects, manipulate the elements, heighten my senses, and more recently, control people and their emotions. With me so far?" I explained, pacing around slowly and gesturing to with my hands.

Skye nodded and tilted her head at me slightly, "What about people from other worlds? Can you control me?" she asked and my face blanched. I had discovered that power by accident, and I never intended to actually use it. Taking a deep breath, I sat down and looked at her pointedly.

"Even if I could, I wouldn't. I found out about those powers by accident, and I'm never going to use them. Considering you live in a semi-Harry world, I suppose you watched Moody's demonstrative lesson on Unforgivables during your fourth year. Think of it that way. I can force you to do anything," I admitted, but I shook the thought away, shuddering at the memory of the pure bliss on the person's face.

"But you felt my shield earlier, though it only works on your human form. As an animal, my powers are useless against you, as I guess are all of ours. Except for Aves, who can communicate with you in that form. Now, Newids are rare, the first one was Cassandra. Ever since Cassandra, her descendants have not inherited her powers, but have become incredible seers, leading us to the next explanation. See, most of us know about Harry, because of an author in our world named Joanne Rowling. She is…how should I put it...Cassandra's descendant, but viewed as quite mad. She wrote an entire series of Harry Potter books based on visions of hers. However, she published these books to the Muggle public, causing an immense crisis. Truth is, she saw the visions because her Inner Eye is connected to her twin brother's, Dynastes Rowling. Lucky for you, you've just met him. Dynastes Rowling is, in fact, Severus Snape." I finished elegantly, sending a hesitant look in Skye's direction. Skye chuckled and shook her head at something I had said.

"Thing is, Cora, I'm far from human. Serenity told me that. About that, I'm certain. My eyes are what are supposed to make me human, but see them? They used be lavender, with green pupils. Along the way it changed, because I'm quickly losing the part that is human. All I hope is that I retain my soul; otherwise I lose the ability to love. And that would kill more than me. Anyways, Thank goodness that man is not dad. He smells like goblin piss and bubotuber pus. Dad smells like peppermint and Batman," she commented, and those of us who knew who Batman was laughed loudly. Annika sat down gracefully beside an uncomfortable-looking Chase and blinked sporadically at Skye.

"Oh, you'll stay human. Just not the way you think," she stated dreamily and Skye looked down as Lia sighed deeply, glancing at Zach.

"Honestly, how my mother could have ever loved that man is beyond me. I guess he probably must have been more pleasant before he met my dad," she mused randomly and he rolled his dark eyes at her antics, placing a kiss on her pale temple.

"What do you mean, you're not human?" Lex asked, glinting her teeth in Skye's direction.

"I don't sense anything THAT obvious about your scent…except…oh," she exclaimed, smirking slightly as she inhaled deeply.

"What do you smell, Alexandreiana? And do I have to call you that?" Skye asked, exasperated at Lex's long name. The crowd snickered, but I death-glared them to silence.

Lex laughed darkly and shook her head. "Oh, Merlin, no! Please call me Lex. I smell…chocolate…grass...lavender…and broom polish? As well as something earthy, like moss and periwinkle. Bloody Hell, you're half-veela aren't you?" she exclaimed, backing away slowly.

"Yeah, my mum's a veela. You probably smell Draco on me, we had an…appointment earlier," she stuttered and Annika smiled brightly, her brown eyes shining.

"Is that what kids call snogging sessions nowadays? Appointments?" she asked and I snickered at the abashed, scarlet expression on Skye's face. Shaking her head, she turned back to Lex.

"Why are you backing away from me?"

"Because I may just attack you. Vampires don't get along well with Veela, see?" Lex muttered, her eyes flashing an even brighter red.

"Hmm, interesting," Skye mused, glaring at Lex. "Well, you bite me, I bite back. I'm the bitch of Britain, literally, after all," she shrugged and smirked playfully, a glint in her bright eyes. "And what about my werewolf tendencies? Did you pick up the scent of the amount of bloodied meat I eat?" she asked, regarding Lex with mild interest.

Amber snorted loudly and bowed hurriedly to Skye.

"Pardon me, Empress. But I've never seen a creature eat as much meat as Dracul. She downs an entire plate of bacon as an appetizer. I doubt she could pick up your scent of meat over her own breath. Personally, I haven't touched meat since…" she said, the mirth in her voice fading away, leaving a blank look of sadness on her face. Ian rushed to her and wrapped his arms around her lovingly, whispering hurriedly into her ear as the quiet tears streamed out of her eyes and into the air.

"'Amber, everything happens for a reason," Skye said softly, though I could hear the authority in her voice.

"By the way, I'm sorry for being insensitive earlier. I'm afraid I'm still under the impression that this is a dream, otherwise I would act more wisely and sensitively. Cora, I truly apologize if I have offended you," she continued, glancing at me nervously. For the first time, I felt her emotional guard come down and I nodded, waving an absent hand.

"You didn't. I'm not quite proud of the full extent of my abilities, but I was given them for a reason. I just wish I knew why. Where was I?" I explained, my face turning red as I admitted the difficult truth. But Skye needed to know.

"Sev ain't Sev?" Skye answered and I nodded thoughtfully, trying to dumb Morgana's wild theories to a largely understandable level. This would be the first time many of them heard what we actually had theorized.

"Right. In our world, there exists no Severus Snape, but when he decided to remain in Harry's world, he abandoned the identity of Dynastes Rowling forever. He travels between the worlds, remaining in both, just like Lia. Now, ever since the first Newid, there has been a prophecy about the One, seen by Cassandra herself. It didn't specify anything, but it showed how one could identify the One. It was said that a fire-snake would envelop her. As you can probably guess, that happened. This," I said, pulling out the old book, "was Morgana's. This was where she wrote down her theories, and we've somewhat devised a theory. I think that someone will split the seam of the world, most likely using the Darkest of Dark Magic. One of Morgana's theories briefly mentions Iár, where Newids supposedly originated. I think that if anyone besides a Newid crosses the seams, they will contaminate the magic, slowly ruining the Universe from the inside. Like Muggle blood poisoning, if you will. It will take ten times more power to seal the seam, but in order to heal the Universe, I have no idea. We could be wrong of course, and I hope we are, because everyone in this room is in extreme danger just for agreeing to fight. It sounds like lunacy, but it's the best we got. And we're hoping that you might be able to provide us with some insight, some sage advice. Like you said, we're just a bunch of gangly fourteen-year-olds, whereas you have an army. I have the prophecy with me now, if you wish to hear it," I concluded, gesturing to my black canvas bag. Our theory was rough, but it fit with Morgana's and everything the Prophecy had said.

"You're wrong, you know," Annika whispered softly, just for me to hear and I turned to her with an alarmed face.

"What do you mean? Do you know something?" I asked hurriedly, but nothing more than an errant smile crossed her face.

"I can't tell you that. If I did, it would change," she answered simply and I stared at her, afraid. This girl seemed to know everything, but the fact that she controlled all that knowledge scared me to death, and I hated myself for it.

"All right, I'm listening," Skye said determinedly, falling out of the stupor that had enveloped her for several seconds and looking at me with a smirk on her lips. "And I didn't call you guys a 'bunch of gangly fourteen-year olds.' As darling Anna would say, age is but a number." I shook my head as I heard the Snape-like sneer in her words.

"You mention Anna a lot," Aves pointed out, adjusting the green straw fedora on her head. Lia glared at her and formed a shield, knocking the hat off her neon-red head.

"Not the time for this Aves. Respectfully, shut it," she advised and Aves stuck out her tongue childishly.

I walked over and pulled the smoky crystal ball out of my bag, closing my eyes as it began to speak in Jo's dulcet and otherworldly tones,

"_The time for our end is drawing near_

_Withal our savior comes to light_

_Begotten to he who is malefic as Fiderico_

_And she who is virtuous as Cassandra_

_The worlds shall converge_

_As the bounds of magic are broken_

_By avarice and lust for power_

_Her love shall be her downfall_

_For she knows not the power she holds_

_The child shall hurt who she tries to protect_

_But ignore the signs,_

_To save and ruin in the end."_

Skye frowned at the prophecy for a while, before letting a minuscule smile play on her lips.

"Anna's my best friend, Aves," she answered airily before turning to me, not managing to hide that sneer.

"I don't know what to say about the prophecy, so, respectfully, I'll hold my tongue," she shrugged, continuing to smile secretively. The vat of boiling rage began to overflow and I gave her my best death-glare, a trait I had picked from Lia and Aves.

"Okay, Skye. Spit it out, or I will not to have Lex burn you hair off. I need all the information I can get, and threatening people who tend to piss me off is not beneath me. Just as it isn't beneath you, I've noticed," I smirked, my eyes glossing over as I felt Skye's alarmed aura.

"I was doing that weird smiling thing again, wasn't I? I'm sorry. Again, I guess Aves was right," Skye chuckled nervously, blushing furiously.

"Yeah, she does that a lot," I muttered to myself, glaring at my best friend.

"You still haven't answered the question," Annika pointed out, earning her a Snape-like glare from Skye.

"Hmm. What was the question again?" Skye asked, feigning stupidity. My fists clenched and I smiled a fake smile, my lips tight with frustration.

"Why. Were. You. Smiling?" I repeated, my eyes darkening with every word I spoke.

"Because I smelled a loophole you see," Skye began, but her mouth began to move furiously without any sound. Finally, she sighed deeply and turned to me.

"Did you hear any of that?" she asked and I shook my head bitterly, the tears in my eyes threatening to spill.

"No," I mumbled, turning from her and throwing my eyes to the ceiling.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? SO IT'S YOUR FAULT THAT I WAS CHOSEN, HUH? DONT YOU DARE STARE DOWN AT ME IN SILENCE, CASSANDRA ROWLING! I KNOW YOU'RE THERE! WHAT A LOAD OF BULLSHIT!" I screamed, the tears streaming hotly down my face as I collapsed on the cold stone ground. "IT'S MY BLEEDING LIFE! I WANT TO HAVE A CHOICE!" The unfairness of the act hit me hard and I just shrank on the floor, oblivious to the scared looks I was getting from the people in the room. I didn't hear Skye stand up and walk to me, but I did feel her gently touching my back and pulling me into a sisterly hug. The laughter welled in my throat as I realized that Lex hadn't been lying: she did in fact smell like Chocolate frogs and bark, a scent I now found oddly comforting. I turned to her, my eyes wide, trying to push her away as I laughed croakily.

"Sorry you had to see that. I just…snapped. Reckon I'm a coward now," I shrugged, looking over to the stunned group.

"You guys can go. I don't need you guys to see your fearless leader break down like this. But I'll try harder next time. I know it sounds cliché, but you guys do deserve better," I sniffed, still squirming in Skye's stiff grip.

"You reckon that makes you a coward? Cora, it makes you human. And no, you are not getting out of this hug until you listen. You yourself said that you guys are, and I quote, 'a bunch of gangly fourteen year olds.' And with this, I don't mean any offense. What you need, is training," Skye said simply and I snorted in derision.

"No shit, we need training. That's why we're here. At least, so I thought, until Skye's overly dramatic speech last time. Anyways, I'm a first year, and even though I soak up information like a sponge, there's no one to teach us fully. We're working blind, and we have no idea who'd be insane enough to split the worlds. So I'm doing the best I can. Now let me out of this hug, or I will push you off with an electric shield. Ask Lex, those aren't pleasant," I threatened, my eyes defiant. Skye hesitated for a second before letting me go and biting her lip in thought.

"Not all of us a fourteen. Some of us are older. I'm eighteen," Annika said proudly, straightening herself to full height, only several inches above Lex's.

I could try, but if it would inconvenience you, just say so. But I have the Potions textbook for seventh years at my disposal, my dad's. Along with the books of Merlin. I know you might not like it, but put together, our ancestor kick ass!" she exclaimed and I chuckled at the look of triumph on her face.

"You bet they do, but something tells me you need that book more than I do. I just need to pull myself together, thanks Skye. I'm better now. I reckon hugs do help," I chuckled and Annika looked up brightly, the slime dripping from her hand.

"Muggle doctors say that hugging significantly reduces your heart rate, because of the calming effect of such proximity!" she said excitedly, and hugged a random Hufflepuff, who seemed abashed and greatly embarrassed by such attention.

"And that's why Anna hugs me almost every time she sees me?" Skye mused, a smirk across her lips. Then she turned to me and nodded, deep in thought.

"Yeah, you've got a point, Core," she said absently and I laughed, patting Skye's shoulder.

"I know I do," I answered jokingly. Skye blushed a deep red as I heard her stomach rumble.

"I suddenly have an odd craving for biltong. Is there any of that around?" she asked nervously as Lia's jaw dropped in shock and her eyes lit up.

"You must be joking. You're craving SOUTH AFRICAN food?" Lia exclaimed, running up and wrapping her short arms around Skye. Realizing her shock, Lia retreated with a furious blush and giggled.

"Sorry, but no one here understands my cuisine. Here, I always carry around a piece," she stated simply, pulling out a long strip of jerky and using her knife to cut Skye a smaller piece.

"Calm down, Black Widow. It's just biltong. You should see her around peaches," Zach said laughing and Skye grinned, raising her hands in surrender.

"Don't worry. Ever since last year, I can't live without it. What about vetkoek?" she asked, looking around hopefully. I noticed Lia blush sheepishly and look down, ignoring Zach's obviously malicious face.

"Abra keeps cooking them in steady supply. But I accidentally finished…all of them," she admitted innocently as he glared evilly her way. _They'll either wind up married, or killing each other._

"Are you kidding me? I LOVE vetkoek and she made at least 20 of them!" he objected and she batted her long lashes in response. I thoroughly understood his frustration, after all, those pastries were bloody delicious.

"But you KNOW my stomach's a bottomless pit, Zachie," she pleaded and he rolled his eyes, pulling her to him for a sweet kiss.

"Ah, well. Shit happens," Skye said, regarding the scene with amused eyes. Shrugging she turned to me before frowning abruptly as an invisible force threw her across the room, her hair flying wildly on her face as she landed over the chair.

"Skye! What's happening?" Lia exclaimed loudly, wrenching her thin lips from his and running over to Skye, ignoring the frustrated Zach.

"It is from her world," Annika said dreamily, turning to the shell-shocked Lia.

"Draco's doing," she muttered, brushing the dust off angrily. "I'll make him pay when I get back. Are there any more questions you guys would like to ask?" she inquired brightly and I nodded slowly, before catching the faint protective glare in Amber's eyes. Not wanting another werewolf-induced incident, I bent my back slightly to Skye, bowing grudgingly.

"We're pretty good, I'd say. Can we count on you when the time comes, Emperatiz de Metamorfisme?" I asked, my eyes directed to the ground. My sense of pride flared at this show of submission, but I tamed it when I thought of Aidan's dead body.

"I'll help, of course. But why are you bowing at me with that expression?" Skye asked, baffled and I remained in my bowed position.

"I'm bowing because Skye told us it's quite customary, and considering you never stop Amber when she bows constantly, I'm guessing it's true. The expression on my face is there because I find that quite disgusting. And I doubt my ego likes it much either. But if it helps you support our cause, then so be it," I answered, my voice laced with venom.

"I don't stop Amber, mainly because I can't. I don't like it much either, just much as I don't like it when people call me 'Empress'. As I said, my name's Skye. Only Draco may call me 'Empress', and only when..." she trailed off, blushing furiously. I hid my smile as the temperature around us increased threefold and her aura changed, quite dramatically.

"Anyways, you don't have to do that. In actuality, don't. A hug would suffice, but that's also not needed," she concluded and I stood straight, staring into her eyes.

"I guess I was wrong about you. But you kind of remind me of someone I would give anything to forget, so I reckon I owe you an apology. Sorry," I said sheepishly, before leaning in to whisper in her ear.

"And I'm just going to pretend I didn't sense your change in aura and the quickening of your pulse at the mention of Draco, okay?" I whispered coyly, forcing the air around us to cool as Skye shot me a grateful look.

"But hugs are cool," I commented randomly and hugged Skye with a wide smile. As I pulled away, I gestured to the group.

"Do you have any more questions? After all, you're practically sacrificing your family to help, though these guys are like family to me too," I admitted, my voice turning into a whisper at the end. My face went bright red at the admirable glances I was receiving from the crowd. Smiling, Skye shook her head and pulled away from my grip, her skin getting a rapid onslaught of goosebumps.

"No questions. If I think of any, I'll send Miss Electric. Though, she's gonna be banned for a while," she mused, smiling knowingly.

"Miss Electric? That's good. Mind if I use that? We have...unresolved differences involving a Bludger and her nearly killing me," Lex spat, Jack rolling his eyes.

"You can't be STILL bitter about that. Look what you got out of it!" he said and she turned to him, a bizarre look on her face. Exchanging a look with Amber, we began giggling mutely, our faces turning red.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," she answered arrogantly and he started murmuring in her ear, causing her to turn a vibrant red that matched her eyes.

"Ignore them, please. It's sickening how perfect their relationship is," Lia said, before shrugging and cuddling into Zach's muscular chest even further.

Skye ignored their bickering and shook her head. "But when you need me, tell Skye to say the safe word, otherwise I won't answer," she told Aves, who nodded and smiled brightly from underneath her red hair.

"I'll pass on the message," Aves reassured her, as I stepped forward and hugged her tightly, letting her comforting scent overcome me one last time.

"Thank you. I owe you…everything," I whispered in her ear, but Skye merely shook her head.

"Nah, all I ask for is some biltong now and then. It's hard to come by. I have to go, Electric's calling me. But yes, you can use that, by the way," she grinned toothily at Lex, before fainting promptly in my arms.

I let her down gently, her hair becoming electric blue again and Skye's curvy body transforming into her lithe, athletic one.

"How'd I do?" she muttered and I let my hand float above her head so I could assess her injuries. Luckily, she didn't have any, but she was extremely exhausted.

"You did great. But now, you need sleep," I whispered and she grinned toothily, sighing deeply.

"My sentiments exactly," she chuckled, standing up slowly and leaning against Annika's willowy frame.

"Can we call it a night? I'm bushed," she asked and I nodded as everyone gathered their bags and left, Lia hanging behind to talk to me.

"Do you think you can convince him?" I asked and she bit her lip nervously.

"I can try," she answered me determinedly, her face already lighting up at the idea of seeing Harry again.

"That's all I can ask," I admitted and she grinned walking with me out and into the empty corridor.

_One down, one to go._

**A/N: How'd I do? So next chapter will be quite interesting, I can assure you, as well as another Lia and Harry moment. I'm sorry for that rushed last bit, but I couldn't think of anything to add. And slytheringirl4life was right, I know my story kind of drags on. But it will get more intense as soon as I get the ideas. Although I had hoped Aves nearly becoming a werewolf would be intense…Ah, well. I guess you can't please 'em all. That doesn't mean I try, though. I try my very hardest. Which explains my struggles, but BOLLOCKS! I should really shut up now, right? Yeah, I should, so please leave me a review, if you're reading this. Please? Flames and hugs are welcome, and this time I think you all deserve some virtual vetkoek(it's fried dough!).**


	39. A Meeting

**A/N: Hello, my dear readers! I am in a special good mood this week, so there will probably be a couple of good chapters, starting with this one. I wrote it in 3****rd**** person omniscient, so you don't know who anyone is basically. But I dropped a TON of hints, so if you enjoy puzzles, you'll love this chapter. However, it is dark, and we have our first glimpse of the enemy. Without any further ado, I'd like to thank the Elves, HideAmongtheAshes, im-the-doctor and weirdgiraffe for reviewing! You guys rule! This chapter is for Leanna, the only person insane enough to consider leopard-print jeans.**

Normal POV  
>The hallways were dark and musty, the only light emanating from the bright sphere at the end of a wand. Rays of luster gleamed from its source and rebounded off the glistening tiles that paneled the walls, ceilings and floors of the labyrinth corridors, illuminating the witch's face with an eerie sheen. She breathed lightly, but her warm breath created a cloud of frost once it came in contact with the frigid air. Surprisingly, this didn't seem to bother the girl whatsoever, as she had decided to venture into the belly of the beast wearing a cerulean summer dress and sky-blue flats, the soles of which created an ominous noise as she walked briskly across the polished floor of the Atrium, a smile on her pale lips as she noticed the guards sleeping soundly behind their desks, with their wands laying aimlessly on the floor, all but forgotten in their owners' stupor.<p>

"They take the peace for granted, as though nothing could possibly harm them," the girl mused softly, her voice amplified tenfold in the vast room, though the deep snores of the guards masked the brisk sound of her old, but well-kept shoes against the dark wood.

"_Muffliato!"_ she thought, waving her wand over the sleeping guards, and smiling satisfied as their snores muffled dramatically.

In the deathly quiet of the Atrium, the sound of the elevator clanging was enough to scare anyone to death, but she merely plucked a stray thread from her dress, the only item she had remaining from her mother, who had killed herself after years of mourning over her sister. As she had grown, the fact that she so greatly resembled her mother had driven her own father to insanity, and she had run away at the age of 14, to spare his life. But today, today, she would make up for all those years of pain she had caused him. Tonight, she would live up to her true destiny.

The elevator doors clanged shut with a bang and the world wrenched her abruptly downwards, though she remained completely oblivious to the sensation. It was not much different from Apparition, considering the dark walls felt as though they would devour her if it weren't for the light her wand was constantly emanating. _Lumos_ had always been a specialty of hers, but her aptitude stretched far beyond the realms of simple charms. While the elevator wrenched her even farther into the depths of the earth, she decided to think about the task ahead of her, allowing her mind to stray back to the first time when she had realized what was to become of her. Even as a small child, she had been the quiet one, the invisible person in the crowd that people tended to avoid. As far as she knew, her entire family considered her dead, or nonexistent. No one had ever come for her once she departed, leaving her alone in the unforgiving countryside of Wales, where she had adapted almost instantly. She was the black sheep of the family, going so far as to be sorted into a house where none other in her family had been sorted before. Naturally, she knew why, but her lack of ANYTHING didn't attract many to her persona. 3 years passed, without more than muttering from her fellow classmates, though she thoroughly understood why. They wouldn't accept her, simply because of what she was. And then he had come along.

The young witch felt the elevator stop abruptly and lifted her head in anticipation.

"Level 8. Department of Mysteries," a chipper voice announced, and she smiled widely, her eyes crinkling with excitement as she continued down the corridor, her peachy skin forming goosebumps in anticipation of what was to happen.

After her family had abandoned her, she was not one to believe in love of all things. Obsession, adoration were all valid notions but LOVE was inconceivable. He had changed that for her, though she knew it was not reciprocated. But he could make her laugh, and he didn't care what others thought about her, though she knew that in the eyes of everyone, she was just the girl that Hogwarts' greatest prankster hung out with. Finally, she had a home, though it was not a physical place. Home was when she was with him.

In front of the ebony door, she quickly rearranged her dress and fixed her stray locks, wanting to look her absolute best for her Master. Breathing deeply, she gazed at the door and pulled a shard of glass from her pocket, grazing it along her palm and leaving a deep cut.

"_Omne meum sanguinem,"_ she whispered calmly, placing her bleeding hand on the golden knob as the blood in her body roared in response to her oath. Instantaneously, the door vanished in a cloud of black smoke and she stepped over the threshold, her long hair trailing behind her.

Home had become disrupted by the arrival of a certain Newid, and she had been called to the other side after seeing HIM with her. He loved her, there was no question, and she had become invisible again. She no longer had a home, and her Master had sensed it, invading her thoughts and dreams with a proposition: Join, and never be invisible again. Having the young witch on your side during such a Battle meant sure victory, and she had accepted eagerly.

Past the threshold of the entrance was a circular room and emptied her mind completely as the doors began to spin. Not opening her eyes, the girl opened the door and stepped into a vast stone cavern, sculpted in the bedrock. Finally, she opened her eyes and gasped at the site that awaited her.

In the center of the room stood a huge archway, reaching up from the rock below like a jagged knife. The archway bore a sort of incandescent veil, shimmering slightly in the dim light of the room.

"Welcome to the Death Chamber," a cold voice said and the young woman saw the crowd of followers part to let her through. Stepping forward fearlessly, she pocketed her wand and bowed deeply in the direction of the voice, whose owner was hidden in total shadow, obscuring her view completely.

"Step forward, girl. You have come to report, not to cower," the voice barked and she stood up sharply, her head tilted to the side ever so slightly.

"I do not have any objections to your orders, Mistress, but I am no "girl." Our ages are not far apart," she said arrogantly, recognizing the voice to be female, and a loud cackle pierced the darkness.

"That may be true in this world, but I am perfectly able of calling you "girl" in my world," her Mistress replied snidely, sniffing in disdain at the young witch's figure.

"I do not believe we are in your world, Mistress," the witch replied simply and a twisted, knotty wand was revealed from the shadows, pointing dangerously at the young witch, who stood defiantly.

"You may be crucial to my plan, but do not think that you are EVER irreplaceable. My skill far surpasses yours, as I'm sure you know. You WILL show me the respect I deserve, or pay for your insubordination," the voice spat, and a jet of scarlet light shot out from the wand, hitting the young with a blast of unimaginable agony. Several seconds of the worst pain the girl had ever experienced, and the Mistress lifted the curse, leaving the young woman writhing on the floor in memory of the agony she had just experienced.

"Next time, I shall not be so merciful. Act as your blood dictates, and stand up," the voice sneered as the girl stood up shakily, not one of the supporters daring to touch her. They all knew what she was, and they were afraid, she could sense it.

"Why did you choose to join?" the voice asked curiously, as it twirled its wand through its fingers.

"The people of my house are not known for bravery or shrewd thinking. We make allegiances based on intelligent consideration, and my life is simply in less risk if I join you cause," the young witch answered briskly, her breath still shallow.

"Typical answer for someone like yourself," the voice answered coldly, pocketing her wand and letting the girl retrieve her breath.

"I have come to report on the Newid," the young witch said after a while, when her breathing had slowed.

"Proceed," her Mistress answered simply, with a flourish of her hand. "Aldous, get her a chair. Move it, you mangy half-blood!" she yelled as a thick-built man levitated a chair and dropped it violently behind the young woman, and another forced her into it, his dirty hand lingering suggestively on her pale skin. Calmly, the witch turned and smiled briefly, before stunning him with silent spell, causing him to fly back and crash into the wall. Laughter and jeering filled the hall, only to interrupted by the order of their Mistress

"Quiet," she spoke softly, and the entire room silenced, the young witch bowing her head in appreciation of her Mistress' powers.

"Impressive, my Lady. The Newid is gathering forces quietly, within the confines of Hogwarts Castle. Luckily, thanks to Ms. Bellot, no one outside of Dumbledore's sacred walls even gives her a second thought. She has become a complete poster child for insanity," the witch stated lightly, crossing her legs tightly. A woman whom the young witch had not noticed before erupted into violent giggles and the rest of the group turned to her inquisitively. Her hair was a dark, muddy brown and insanely frizzy, creating a kind of cloud above her head that was only tamed with several sparkly barrettes. Overall, she was not ugly, but fairly pretty, with a round, heart-shaped face and plump pink lips that had been coated at least five times with gloss. But her eyes were like bottomless black pits, and her voice was sickeningly high-pitched as she giggled madly.

"That little bitch can't survive my Quill. Mistress, you promised me a reward if I was to be successful?" she asked reverently, her eyes wide and her mouth open.

"Fine. You shall receive your reward, but remember the oath you took. With that mark, you are now one of us, your blood part of everyone's here. Break the oath, and you die. Vankampen, give her the money," the voice ordered sharply and the reporter broke out into a wide grin, counting the money with glee.

"Unfortunately, she has also begun collecting forces from the other worlds. Two of her supporters are travelers, Skye Ororo and Lia Munroe. Thankfully, I've managed to assure their…failure without blowing my cover in the Army. She does not know of your identity, and she seems to still be quite unstable with her powers, though they seem to be improving. I have also discovered some fissures, so to say, in the group, mostly caused by trivial matters of the heart. We could manipulate those to our advantage," the young woman continued, her voice frigid with the lack of emotion.

"Good. It seems we have overestimated the great Newid," the voice snorted derisively and the young with heard the scraping of a chair as she stood up.

"There is one more thing. One key that could possibly mean our success," the young woman added softly, standing up herself and throwing back her mane of hair.

"Yes?" the voice asked, but the tone was different, almost as though she were afraid of the answer.

"Mistress, I believe you already know. Considering who you really are," the young woman said wisely, as one of the burlier men stepped forward with rage in his eyes.

"How dare you speak to her as such? She is above us all, and you WILL bow down!" he yelled, pulling out his wand and throwing a curse at the girl, which she blocked with a lazy flick of her wand.

"I'd suggest you brush up on your dueling, Moreshead. You will be needing it quite soon," the witch sneered, stepping past the stunned wizard and looking intently where she sensed the Mistress to be standing.

"This conversation is over. The person of whom you are speaking has already been dealt with. He is none of your concern," the voice concluded firmly, the order in her voice as plain as day. "It is time for your initiation."

Two men stepped forward and blindfolded the witch, allowing the Mistress to step out of her shadow and in front of an immense cauldron, which simmered softly

"_Antiqua magistri mortem invoco te in populo meo sanguine ligare,"_ she whispered, waving her crooked wand over the burgundy brew, which bore blood from each of her supporters, including her own. It was an ancient piece of Dark Magic, one that needed to be performed in front of the Veil. The brew began to bubble furiously, and a giant gust of steam emanated from the viscous liquid, blowing everyone but the witch and her new victim away.

The young woman felt her arms be outstretched over the scalding air and a jagged knife slice open her flesh, as 13 drops of her blood spilled into the brew.

"_Per hunc sanguinem obligo vobis ad nos, sectatoribus puritatis,"_ the Mistress spoke loudly, and the brew shone black, the gusts of wind stopping as the last drop of blood fell into the large cauldron. The surface of the potion became completely still, almost glassy and it reflected the Mistress' face eerily, her aquiline features shadowing her face.

Pricking her finger, the woman let 7 drops of her blood fall into the brew, which hissed loudly, emitting spheres of smoke as she did so.

"_Per hunc sanguinem me ad vos, et facietis sicut mando et nos unum agunt,"_ the Mistress breathed, as the seventh sphere rose into the air.

Taking the girl's hand roughly, she plunged the arm into the brew, ignoring the witch's screams of agony as the potion seeped into her wound.

"_Sigillum vinculi, fratres mortis, et omnium rector mihi,"_ the Mistress shrieked and the potion vanished entirely into the wound, and the black spheres flew into the Veil, disappearing entirely.

The young witch staggered back and ripped off her blindfold, her eyes widening at the sight of her Mistress.

"You!" she exclaimed, her eyes running over the too-familiar features of her Master.

"Only in this world, girl. Now, where does your allegiance lie?" the Mistress spat, and the young with clutched her arm, gazing at the symbol on her arm.

"With you, Madam. _Nous sommes toujours purs!_" she exclaimed robotically, her previous deviance all but dissolved.

"Good. You are now an official Morte Noire," the witch smiled crookedly and gazed deep into the eyes of the young witch.

"You have sealed a bond with blood. Your life belongs to me. Remember that," she whispered eerily, the shadows in the room falling across her carved features. The young witch nodded in fear,

"Disperse!" she yelled shrilly and the entire group began shuffling out, as the tall woman walked over to the Veil, holding her hand close to it.

"You don't need a Veil to talk to her, you know. She is with you at all times," the young witch said simply and the Mistress turned to her, throwing her tell-tale her back furiously as she pinned the witch to the wall.

"Stay out of my head, or the pain will be worse next time. Crucio isn't the only type of pain a person can inflict. Perhaps its time I paid him another visit," the Mistress spat, a sneer on her dark lips as the young woman realized whom she was talking about.

"As you wish, Mistress. But Aidan Vestey is the key to what you desire. He has the potential to destroy her entirely," the young witch told her simply, walking out of the stone room, completely oblivious to the streams of curses and hexes that her Mistress was now throwing at her.

_Not one will hit me. She'll never get it._

**A/N: How'd I do? And who is the Mistress? As well as our little spy? Please give me your suggestions, no matter how ridiculous they may be, I find them insightful, and sometimes I even change my mind. It's happened….once. Since most of you probably aren't the Black Widow, and don't speak fluent Latin or French, here are the translations:**

_**Omne meum sanguinem: **_**My blood is everything**_**.**_

_**Antiqua magistri mortem invoco te in populo meo sanguine ligare: **_**Ancient masters of death, I call upon you to bind my blood to my people.**

_**Per hunc sanguinem obligo vobis ad nos, sectatoribus puritatis: **_**With this blood, I bind you to us, the followers of purity.**

_**Per hunc sanguinem me ad vos, et facietis sicut mando et nos unum agunt: **_**With this blood I bind myself to you, and you shall do as I command, and we shall act as one**

_**Sigillum vinculi, fratres mortis, et omnium rector mihi: **_**Seal the bond, brethren of death, and make me rule of all**

_**Nous sommes toujours purs: **_**We are always pure.**

**Morte Noire: Black Death**

**I know, it's seriously creepy. And I know Black Death doesn't sound as cool as Death Eaters, but I couldn't steal Jo's ideas. That just doesn't seem right to me. Please leave me a review, flames and hugs are welcome on this week before my birthday! If you read, now would be a great time to leave me a review! PLEASE! Sorry, I know it's annoying, but reviews are like crack cocaine to me. **

**Oh, and HideAmongTheAshes? I'm going to pretend that I didn't just hear that, considering I am, in fact, an agent of the FBI working undercover online to root out child molesters. An 85-year old pedophile sounds pretty serious, and it may even get me a promotion….**

**Hugs,**

**Muen!**


	40. Allies

**A/N: Hey you guys! The response that I got for yesterday's chapter was awesome, I'm so glad everyone found it as creepy as I did, though I'm not used to writing creepy. And Skye, stop gloating. Seriously? To those of you who have patiently waited for a Will/Justin moment, here it is. As well as some more Lia and Harry, which was so much fun to write. There is some mild Ronald Weasley bashing in this, but that's because I can't imagine Lia actually getting along with him. It's not nearly as bad as Draco's bashing of Ron, so don't worry. This chapter also includes some sad Will moments, but it explains what happened to his mother, which was HEARTWRENCHING for me to write. Thanks to the Elves, HideAmongTheAshes and weirdgiraffe for reviewing. This chapter is for Justin and Morgane.**

Will's POV

_A flash of light, and the young boy's door was flung open, revealing his panicked father, who stormed into the room and shook his son awake._

"_Will! Will, please wake up! We have to run!" he yelled, the bangs from downstairs finally awakening the angelic-looking boy, his silky mop of hair in tangles around his pale face._

"_Daddy?" the little eight-year old asked, his voice afraid as he glanced at his father's eyes, filled with pure terror. "What's going on?"_

"_There's no time to explain, little guy. We need to run," his father answered, shrinking the contents of his son's room into his backpack with an elaborate wave of his wand._

"_But, Daddy? Where's Mommy?" the boy asked, as his father pulled him down the hallway, tapping his head and casting a Disillusionment Charm._

"_I need you to be brave, little man," the man said, seizing his son by the shoulders and looking him in the eyes. "Listen to me. Some bad men came here tonight, and your Mommy's trying to fight them. You have to run, out the door. Don't look back. I will come for you!" _

_Tears streamed down the boy's cherubic face as he nodded silently, shaking back his ice-blond curls._

_The man smiled and took his hand, running down the stairs with his wand raised. In the living room, a beautiful woman who could only be the boy's mother was dueling furiously with 5 men at the same time, her wand twirling and jabbing like there was no tomorrow. She was, without a doubt, an extraordinarily skilled and powerful witch._

"_Cass!" his father yelled, as his wife narrowly dodged a flash of green light. Laughing brightly, she shot another jinx the man's way, her blonde curls flying around her face._

"_Will! No!" the man yelled, as his boy shook loose his grip and ran to his mother, who kneeled before him, a teary smile etched in her features. Her husband jumped into the battle and began flinging his own stuns and curses at the attackers, only barely keeping them at bay._

"_Will, you have to be strong. I love you, but these men won't leave unless they win. One day, you will understand, I am sure of it. Please, run. Run for Mommy," she whispered urgently, holding him close and placing a kiss on his forehead._

"_It'll be okay, mommy," the boy said, patting her back soothingly as his mother choked out a sob._

"_I know, pumpkin," she cried, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her scarlet wool sweater, her quicksilver eyes piercing as she looked in his eyes. "Run, Will. RUN!" she screamed and he dodged spells, running furiously to the door. Before he crossed the threshold, however, he turned to her one more time._

_She was battling fiercely, her wand twirling at a speed that no one could have thought possible. Her husband was beside her side, his sapphire-blue eyes wide in fear as he dueled hesitantly with the leader, who ruthlessly shot a red jet of light at the boy's father, leaving him writhing in agony on the ground._

"_ERIC!" his mother yelled, as the leader smiled victoriously, his wand pointing at the boy's father. With a furious yell, his mother shot a violent curse at the leader's companions, leaving them stunned against the ground as she turned to the leader, who sneered dangerously._

"_Sie sollte besser gewusst haben, als einen Verräter zu Ihrem Blut zu sein,"__**(Translation: You should have known better than to be a traitor to your blood)**__ the leader spat at her and she cringed visibly. The boy shook silently-he had never seen his mother afraid before._

"_Mein Blut is keines ihrer Anliegen, Felix. Nicht Mehr," __**(Translation: My blood is none of your concern, Felix. Not anymore.) **__his mother said determinedly, glancing in worry at her husband, who continued to writhe on the ground in agony._

"_It has always been mine," the leader stated, lifting the curse and raising his wand to point at the boy's father, who lay helplessly on the ground._

"_Avada Kedavra!" the leader yelled, but the boy saw his mother jump between the two, absorbing the curse into herself._

"_NO! CASSIE!" his father yelled, but the boy didn't hear that. All he heard was the crunching of autumn leaves as the darkness of night engulfed his running figure._

I sat up, shaking violently and threw open my curtains, relieved when I saw that I was still in the Gryffindor Dorm. That nightmare had haunted me for years, and it never ceased to terrify me. Shaking my head, I got up shakily out of the bed and pulled on my Puddlemere United t-shirt (who said gay guys don't like Quidditch?), trudging into the Common Room.

For years, I blamed my dad for what had happened. She wouldn't have died if he had been stronger, and less afraid. Of course I now understood the words she had been speaking, after I had learned German behind my father's back. Only then did I confront him, an event that had nearly torn apart our relationship. He had begged for my forgiveness, but he had also defended himself, admitting that he had never been extremely skilled, as my mother was. But I had managed to figure that out on my own, watching my mother battle was exhilarating, like watching a lion stalk its prey. Ever since that night, my father had only picked up his wand when he really needed to. In truth, I prided myself on being nothing like him. Everyone always said I took all the good genes, leading to my aristocratic features, which had come from my mother's pureblooded lineage. The only thing I had acquired from my father was the blue of my eyes, which had mixed with my mother's silver to create the crystal that now colored my irises. But I had taken more than that, and I was ashamed of it. Just like him, I was a coward, afraid of any risk. And yet, I hadn't been afraid when I needed to help Cora, or Aves, or Justin, for that matter. Scratch that, I was bloody terrified whenever Justin came within inches of me.

Rubbing my eyes, I climbed out of the Portrait Hole and snuck up the stairs, and into the Astronomy Tower, where I decided to watch the stars. My eyes finally settled on my favorite constellation: Cassiopeia. Perhaps it was my favorite because my mother's name had been Cassiopeia, but I didn't care. It had been the first constellation she had ever shown me, forming the shape of a W in the sky.

Suddenly, I heard a noise behind me and I pulled out my wand, which glowed slightly in the dark.

"Who's there?" I whispered and Justin stepped into the corridor, his black and purple hair messy as he smiled brightly in my direction.

"Keep your knickers on, it's just me. Honestly, I never considered you to be the rule-breaking type," he joked, his violet eyes twinkling as he glanced at the stars.

"Beautiful, ain't it?" he breathed, leaning back against the wall and looking at the black sky.

My breath caught in my throat as my eyes perused his figure intently. _Oh, Gods!_

He was wearing a pair of yellow and black drawstring pants, and the tightest bloody t-shirt I had ever seen in my life. Under the shirt, I could see he was well built, no doubt because of his Quidditch training. My eyes continued upwards, following the curve of his neck and over his sharp features, when I noticed he was staring at me with a smirk on his lips.

"Like what you see?" he asked mischievously and I glared at him, sitting on the threshold of the arched window.

_You have NO idea._

"Will?" he said softly and I turned to him slightly, to see a softened, almost worried expression.

"Yes, Justin?" I replied, deadpan, though my stomach erupted into butterflies at the sound of him speaking my name. He stepped forward and leaned against the other side of the window, his hand stuck in his messy hair.

"What happened to us, mate? We were best mates, and then," he trailed off in the end, looking at the grounds below us. I rolled my eyes and curled my knees into my chest, giving him room on the ledge.

"And then you began acting like a total dickhead," I finished for him and he chuckled, leaning his head back on the stone.

"I'll give you that, but it's not like I wasn't a dickhead before," he said and I shook my head, letting my bangs cover my bespectacled face.

"But that's the point, Justin. You weren't," I stated bluntly and I heard him sigh deeply, his eyes boring into my head.

_Damn it, Will. Just tell him!_

"I guess you have a point there. It's just that I thought-" he began, but the sound of footsteps interrupted him mid-sentence and he froze. They grew louder and louder, so I seized his hand and yanked him down the corridor and into an empty classroom, where he promptly burst into loud laughter, the tears streaming down his face.

"Bloody hell, that was close," I muttered, casting a silencing charm on the door so no one could hear Justin's loud guffaws.

"So you were saying?" I asked him and he froze, his face a furious red, as he glanced my way.

"Forget it, man," Justin shook his head, and raised his hand in a gesture of dismissal.

"The hell I will," I swore and he sat down cross-legged on an old desk, outlining the cracks in the wood with a tanned finger.

"Why did you follow me?" I asked him suddenly and his head shot up, a slight blush crossing his tanned face.

"I didn't. At least, not outright. I just know that you have a thing for stars, so I wanted to see them too," he answered nervously, a stray hand running through his hair, as always. "You seem so captivated by them, I wanted to see them as you do."

My glasses fogged up and I pulled them off, rubbing them against my t-shirt to clear them up. I let my bangs fall across my face as I leaned against the wall in the shadow, allowing the darkness to cover the flush on my face.

"Stop," I whispered, looking at him from under my hair.

"What?" he asked innocently, and I stood up, finally angry enough with him to face him head-on.

"STOP DOING THIS! I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW! AND YET, YOU'RE STILL MESSING AROUND WITH MY HEAD! MAKE A CHOICE, JUSTIN!" I screamed at him, before turning on my heel and stomping out of the room, not caring if a teacher caught me. Sitting on the ledge again, I placed my head on my knees and groaned, my nightmare coming back to haunt me.

"I'm sorry," I heard a voice say behind me, but I didn't react. The tears rolled from my eyes as I thought of my mother's crumpled figure on the ground that night, and how I had thought for years that she'd just come back one day.

Suddenly, I felt a soft, but calloused hand lift my face and brush my bangs to the side. Not daring to open my eyes, I felt a thin finger brush away my tears and the smell of grass, broom polish and aftershave hit my senses. The smell was all too familiar, but I didn't allow myself the luxury of hope. _This is just a dream._

And then his lips were on mine, gentle and caressing. I was too stunned to reciprocate at first so he sighed and pulled away, but my hand awoke, cupping the back of his neck as I pressed my lips on his hungrily, eager for the taste of his lips on mine. He kissed me gently, but passionately, as his lips moved on mine with precision and skill. It was obvious to me that he was no novice, and my mind flew unwillingly to the night I had seen him with Isabella. With a sharp tug, I pulled away, and he saw the hurt in my eyes. Gently, he wrapped his arms around me and let me lean my head against his sculpted chest, ignoring my protests.

"Whatever happens, whatever is bothering you, I'm here. My choice has been, and always will be YOU," he said earnestly, hugging me even closer.

Looking up, I saw him gazing at me softly, his long dark lashes gently hitting the skin of his cheek as he blinked. I placed another soft kiss on his lips, and he smiled against my moving lips, before throwing his entire soul into the kiss.

"Damn, Will. Where'd you learn to kiss like that?" he murmured, as I nipped his bottom lip affectionately.

"Mmm," I responded vaguely, drifting off into a blissful, dreamless sleep as he hugged me against his chest.

Lia's POV

The Slytherin Common Room was empty, except for Zach and I, who sat nervously in front of the fireplace, my small figure curled into his protective arms.

"What are you so afraid of, Black Widow?" he whispered into my hair and I clenched his hand tight. Since the last meeting of Cassandra's Army, Cora had asked me to finally appear in front of everyone in the other world, something my nerves did not take to kindly. After all, I didn't exactly exist in that world, and rejection was a big fear.

"Rejection, mainly. Remember, I'm dead there," I admitted and he kissed my head gently.

"I'm not going to go anywhere. And who could resist your deathly, er…wonderful charm," he stammered and I punched him in the arm, smiling when his dark eyes crinkled at me.

Breathing deeply, I let my eyes close reluctantly, and my spirit flew out of my body, landing in a cloud of dust on the wooden floor of a haphazardly arranged room, with an ancient bed against one wall, as well as several dirty pillows and smudged pictures. Standing up slowly, I realized I was invisible; so five people in the room were staring at the cloud of dust that had formed in the center of the room during my landing.

"What was that?" a bossy voice asked and I turned on my heel to see Harry standing in front of a fireplace, a gash along his face as he stared pointedly at the spot where I was standing. Beside him was a bushy haired girl, who was clinging to Harry as though for dear life, the gash on her face bleeding rather profusely as well. On the floor lay a tall, red-haired boy who had a deep bite mark in his leg, though he was clutching an odd-looking rat quite tightly.

Emptying my mind of any other thoughts, I focused on Harry and making myself visible. A loud shriek told me that I had appeared, and surely enough, the girl by Harry's side, who I now recognized as Hermione, was pointing right at me, the blood in her face all but gone. Harry, however, looked positively terrified of my being here, and he kept glancing behind me, though I did not know why.

"Lee? What in the name of Merlin are you doing here?" he yelled at me and I crossed my arms haughtily, death-glaring him down.

"Harry James Potter, is that any way to greet your sister?" I asked and the redhead blanched even further, glancing nervously at my brother, who looked positively furious.

"Yes, Lee. Especially if you decide to show up when we're being cornered by a psychopath murderer who helped kill our parents!" he yelled back, pointing behind me as I slowly turned around. The man behind me had curly, matted hair and dark grey eyes sunken into his skull. He looked near death and his face was white as a sheet as he looked at me.

"Really, Harry? Are you that thick?" I asked my brother and he rolled his eyes, as Hermione stepped forward, her face tentative.

"Harry, is this really your sister?" she asked, turning to Harry.

"Unfortunately," he spat, and I placed a hand over my heart.

"You wound me, Harry. Don't worry, though. I know you love me," I said confidently and Ron's eyes widened considerably.

"Blimey, mate. Your sister is HOT!" he exclaimed and I saw Hermione look away, as I glared at him, a fake sweet smile on my face.

"Sorry, Ronald. I'm already taken. Anyways, you're not my type," I commented snidely and Hermione placed a hand over her mouth to stop laughing.

"This is impossible. You're dead, I was there myself," I heard a soft voice say and I turned around, to see a tall, haggard man look at me with baby blue eyes. He had scars across his face and I recognized him from my other travels.

"In this world, I am dead, it's true," I whispered sadly and Hermione looked at me curiously. I noticed with chagrin that I was only taller than her by about half a head.

"So you're a ghost?" she asked and I shook my head slowly, still gazing at the werewolf's shocked face.

"Ghosts are transparent, Hermione. No, I am a Traveler," I said simply and she lifted an eyebrow inquisitively.

"My soul is split between two worlds. Alesea Potter died shortly after birth, but my soul still remains, so it has latched onto Harry instead. Wherever he is, I am as well, though I may choose not to show myself at that moment," I explained and she nodded in fascination, a Ravenclaw-esque look on her face.

The rat in Ron's hands began to squirm and Ron tightened his hands, glancing nervously at the two adults.

"Nice to see you again, sis," Harry admitted, pulling me over into a tight hug.

"The resemblance is uncanny, Remus. You cannot still believe that she's not Alesea," the black-haired man said wonderingly, his eyes roaming over my petite figure.

"The eyes, the hair and the lips are different. And are you forgetting glamour charms, or Polyjuice Potion?" the werewolf snapped back, eyeing me warily, his wand pointed at me.

"Lupin, this is my sister. You don't lay a hand on her," Harry stated firmly, placing a protective hand on my shoulder.

"Alesea, is that REALLY you?" the man asked me and I shook Harry's hand off, stepping forward.

"Yes," I answered and he smiled widely, wrapping his long arms around me.

"We should probably explain," the werewolf said, wiping the tears from his eyes as he gazed at me.

"See, when we were young, and Lily found out she was pregnant for the first time, James made Sirius and I flip a Galleon over who would be godfather. If it were to be a girl, I'd be godfather. If it were a boy, Sirius would become godfather. Needless to say, I'm your godfather," he explained and I smiled shyly, as the man called Sirius shook his head in disbelief.

"I bloody well can't believe it! You look like a miniature of Lily, but with shades of my Great-Aunt Dorea," he muttered, running a hand through his matted hair.

"JUST STOP!" Ron yelled, and we turned to him with shocked faces.

"Sorry to burst your little family reunion, Harry, but we happen to be in the room with a convicted felon and a werewolf. Oh, and a stunned Snape. I'd rather live to see morning," he said bluntly and I walked over, glaring at him sharply.

"Hold your bloody tongue, Weasley. First of all, you should seriously reconsider your words. Sirius may be a convicted felon, but he's innocent. And after the hell he's been through, treat him with some bloody respect! Oh, and Remus may be a werewolf, but that does not make him any less human. The fact that he's been going through agony to protect even you makes him greater than any of us. It's true that a stunned Snape means danger, but I know him in the other world, and he's putty in my hands. Your best friend has a sister, Weasley, and you didn't even know. So do us all a favor, and think before you talk," I said sharply and Sirius guffawed.

"Well, Harry. Your sister is certainly quite the force to be reckoned with. I'm guessing you continued the Black family tradition of joining the House of Slytherin?" Sirius asked and I turned to him with an evil glint in my eye.

"Yes, I did. But if you people are too prejudiced to see past that fact, and consider perhaps that maybe Slytherins do have a heart, then fine. I expected more from you people, especially you, Sirius," I spat, giving him a knowing look as he blanched. Remus stepped forward and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, looking happier than I'd ever seen him look before.

"Of course we don't care, Lee. Tell us why you came," he said softly and I leant on his shoulder, still glaring at a speechless Sirius.

"Harry, I haven't been honest with you. Everything is not all right in my world, and it will get worse here. There's a battle coming, and someone will split the seams of the worlds. It's a complicated thing, one that I don't have time to explain, but just listen to me for now. In every world, there is a being more powerful than any other. There is a world in which there is an Empress of Shape-Shifters, one that commands all beings of an animalistic nature. My world bears host to the most powerful, a Newid. Newids are beings that can control everything, due to the magical capacity of their minds. She's an exceedingly powerful being, and she has received her prophecy. We know the worlds will split, and our only chance is if all worlds band together. I know what will happen to you Harry, and I wish I could say it's all going to get better. But I don't lie, little bro," I whispered, placing my hand on his shoulder as he slumped, defeated. I glanced at Sirius and at Remus, feeling the tears come to my eyes.

"I have come to ask for your help, all of you. Hermione, you understand this, I know you do. If you need more information, go to Snape, or go to the library and look for a book on Morgana," I said firmly and she nodded as Sirius guffawed loudly.

"Morgana the Mad? Are you mental?" he asked me and I glanced at him sideways.

"Morgana was the most brilliant witch of her age, and she was slandered by Merlin for some bloody reason. I honestly think Hermione is the only one here who can fully understand her hypotheses," I answered simply and he looked down, clearly ashamed, while Remus grinned brightly.

"It's been a while since someone dared put Sirius Orion Black down," he sniggered and Sirius shot him a glare as Harry laughed openly.

"As you've probably guessed, I'm here because Harry is the most powerful person in this world. We need your help, Harry, to save the Universe. All of our worlds," I admitted solemnly and he shook his head.

"I can't ask anyone to die for me, Lee," he said and I shook my head, placing my hand on his.

"I didn't ask for that. But you will need help, with what's to come," I told him and he shook his head firmly.

"I don't care, Lee. My life is not worth that of many-" he began but Ron cut him off with a look.

"Mate, usually, I'd agree, but I don't want my family dying because you wanted to spare people's lives. It's not we'd force people to join, but if the Universe needs an army, I'm sure I can think of several people who'd join," he said and I looked at him, surprised.

"You continue to surprise me, Weasel," I said snidely and Hermione giggled, not noticing Ron's worried eyes on her.

Harry gnawed on his lips and Hermione stepped forward, smiling softly.

"Harry, I know you don't want people to get hurt, but they have a choice too. Let them decide," she said softly and Harry snorted derisively.

"Saving the world sounds appealing to everyone, 'Mione," he snapped and I shook my head softly.

"It's usually not the hero mania, Harry. The only reason I joined was to protect you, and Cora. Your world will fall apart, it already is beginning to. People won't join to become heroes, they'll join to save those they care about," I said softly and he nodded, mussing his hair with a hand.

"You can tell Cora that she can count on us when the time comes," Hermione told me for him and I smiled, winking surreptitiously.

"I shall. Oh, and Harry?" I asked, after I had wrapped everyone, even the Weasel, in a tight hug.

"Yes, Lee?" he replied, as I held him tightly.

"If you ever consider abandoning Hogwarts seventh year to go looking for Voldemort, nearly getting yourself and these two killed, I will personally throttle you," I snapped, and Remus shot me a weird look, before I smiled and vanished into thin air, flying back into my world.

My eyes flew open, and I saw that I was still laying on Zach in the Common Room, though his hands were now wrapped protectively around me and he was snoring lightly. Not wanting to wake him, I simply smiled at the sight of his peaceful face and snuggled into his embrace, falling into a peaceful slumber.

**A/N: How'd I do? Weren't Justin and Will so bloody adorable? I love writing them, especially now, because they're together! What about Remus being Lia's godfather? Bet you didn't see that one coming… Unless you have somehow managed to use Legilimency on my brain. Awkward silence… Anyways, I was curious, so I checked out the hits on my story, and I have over 4 thousand in total. But most people just don't read past the chapter about Cassandra's phoenix…which baffles me, considering I loved that chapter. Oh well. Please tell me what you thought about the Shrieking Shack scene, I know it was very different from what people are used to, but I honestly doubt Harry would have simply believed Sirius about everything after Peter confessed. He's too smart for that…So I added Lia to help ease the transition, and she fit in quite nicely, don't you think? Anyways, I'm really worried that I screwed this up, so please leave me a review, flames and hugs are obviously welcome. Reviewers receive virtual meatballs!**


	41. Heartache

**A/N: Okay, guys. This is a filler chapter, but since it's been a while since you guys heard from Aidan, here he is. And he's back, due to popular demand! As well as Vlad, since you guys love him so much. I was so happy with the reception from last chapter, I thought I would get flamed for getting Will and Justin together so hurriedly. Pardon any Aidan-bashing that occurs in this chapter, but he is a bit idiotic at times. Though I promise, he will get better. It's just Isabella's influence. Thanks to the Elves, weirdgiraffe, HideAmongTheAshes(finished 'em, sorry), OC rocks, Shadow(I don't hate you, but you have some good points, I'll try to work on them.), LiaFan, BlackDiamond, and Chameleon for reviewing. I AM SO BLOODY EXCITED I GOT SO MANY REVIEWS OH MY GOD! Thanks so much, new guys! You made my day! This chapter is for Leanna and Morgane(who totally deserves her Jack). **

**Suggested Soundtrack: Viva La Vida by Coldplay**

Aidan's POV

One of the many advantages to having a dormitory in the dungeons is the absence of pesky sunlight in the morning. I opened my eyes slowly, yawning deeply into the calming darkness of the dorms. Through the absence of Alec and Zach's usual snores, I deduced that they had already awoken, no doubt to be with their girlfriends. Admittedly, Zach had thoroughly annoyed me when I had first met me, but we had grown somewhat closer, though Alec remained my sole confidante. Zach's mouth was quite big, despite his malicious mask, especially around friends.

Placing my hands behind my head, I closed my eyes and relished in the peaceful silence of the morning, not wanting to face the love-fest that was, without a doubt, waiting for me below. Whenever I saw Alec with Aves, or Zach with Lia, I pretended to vomit and sneer, throwing up a wall of disdain and sheer frigidness. In truth, I was deeply envious. Alec and Zach looked so blissfully HAPPY when they had their arms wrapped around the object of their eye. I was in a world of couples, just like any other 15-year old, just like Cora.

_Shite, you're thinking of her again!_

Ever since that brief incident during which I had lost all self-control, I had been successfully avoiding Cora physically, not straying within several metres of her. But my thoughts were not so compliant, leading me to think of her during every spare minute of my time, like some lovesick sap. Which, admittedly, I was. That incident with Isabella and her vicious rumors, however, had made me slightly reconsider my approach. Cora had admitted she CARED, even if it had been in a vague, possibly rage-fueled manner. But my Vow had prevented me from doing anything, and the look of sheer agony on her face had driven an icicle into my heart. So I had, in a true Ravenclaw manner, thrown myself into my studies, dragging Aves along with me when she had time. Apparently, Cora had put together some sort of Army, because of a prophecy she had received. Aves had taken pity on me though, keeping me up-to-date with what was happening, as she saw how truly sorry I felt. I honestly had no bloody idea how Cora managed everything, from leading and training an army, to dealing with Isabella and her cronies, having the fate of the world in her hands, as well as the stress of school, though the latter she seemed to not have any problem with. It was as though EVERYTHING just came to her, and the teachers had begun giving her assignments far past O.W.L level, a fact that I had a feeling pissed off Aves greatly, though she would never let it show. But it wasn't Aves' fault she was a right menace at Potions, blowing things up and turning everything into a, "green, fertilizing solution that has no use besides the pollination of flowers," as Snape so lovingly put it. Thanks to my new habitual studying, my grades had improved quite significantly, earning me the spot behind Cora as best in our year. Even Batman (for we had all taken up Lia's nickname) had grudgingly given me the grades that I had deserved, as demonstrated by the spiky "O" on my latest essay.

Stretching absently, I stood out of bed and slipped into some dark jeans and a wool sweater, before walking out of my dormitory and into the Common Room, where Alec was reading an old book, his feet up on the table.

"Mornin'," he greeted absently, turning a page as he fidgeted with his spiky dog-collar.

"Same to you. Where's Zach and Lee?" I asked, collapsing on the chair next to him and glancing at the book's cover, which read, _**"Ministry Law: Abuse."**_

"The sofa," he replied, sighing deeply as he placed the book on the table, staring at me with translucently-green eyes. I stood up stealthily, and walked over to the couch, where I found Zach and Lia sleeping soundly, his arms wrapped protectively around her curled-up body.

"I'm going to murder him," I stated bluntly, and Alec chuckled, shaking his head.

"Mate, the only one who will die in that case is _you_. Relax, he has morals too," he said assuredly and I raised an eyebrow, a smirk on my lips.

"He's a bloody fourteen-year-old MALE Slytherin," I replied, as though that explained everything. Alec, however, formed fists with his hands and glared at me, his eyes darting to the book.

"So am I? What are you implying?" he spat and I shrugged, leaning back against the cold wall.

"Come on, Alec. Don't act as though you haven't ever THOUGHT of it. She's pretty attractive, after all," I replied simply, shocked when his face flushed in anger.

"Shut your mouth, Vestey. There are some things you should never speak of," he growled and I raised my hands in surrender, glancing at the book.

"Wait, Alec? Since when have you had such an innate interest for Magical Abuse Laws? What's happened to Aves?" I asked him, my voice suddenly panicked as he blushed and looked down, realizing the error of his words.

"That's not your concern, Aidan. You'll have to ask her that, if at all. But please just forget about it. Trust me, I have it under control, okay?" he pleaded and I bit my tongue to hold back a scathing response.

"Fine. But only because I trust you. Why aren't you with her now anyways?" I asked and he chuckled, running a tanned hand through his hair.

"Lex, Cora and Amber took her on some sort of search party. Apparently, Will never returned to the Common Room last night," he replied, shaking his head as he smiled. "My guess is Alquist DEFINITELY had something to do with it." I shook my head at his antics and leaned my head back, glancing at the glass ceiling, and the Black Lake above us, casting an eerie green shadow over everything.

"You're such a pervert, Alec," I said haughtily, and he shrugged, a wide grin on his face.

"Whatever suits you. Anyways, I've also been told to pass on a message to yours truly," he continued, his face turning serious. I groaned and looked away.

"No, Alec. I've already told you, a billion times!" I exclaimed and he guffawed, pointing at a sign on the board.

"Come on, mate. You can talk to her about it today, we have a visit to Hogsmeade!" he practically yelled and Lia sat up suddenly, her hair looking like a haystack.

"Whuzzup?" she muttered, before collapsing back on the bed and snoring loudly, something I'd never considered her possible of doing.

"Merlin's Beard, Al, really? I can't join Cassandra's Army, no matter how much I'd love to. Don't you think I WANT to help her, to be near her? But I can't hurt her again, because that's just going to kill me," I said firmly and he rolled his eyes at my logic.

"Seriously, Aidan? You're such a bloody coward, and it's YOU that needs to apologize. You can't just expect her to forget about what you did," I heard Lia mutter, as she stood up, moving her neck in a circle and shooting Zach a fond smile as he sat up with her.

"Thank you, Lia," Alec said triumphantly and I shook my head dangerously, my eyes narrowing at him.

"Honestly, mate. Just talk to her in Hogsmeade today. What's holding you back?" Zach asked, his raven hair ruffled madly and falling over his eyes.

"Last time we met in Hogsmeade was before Christmas, and Isabella just fucked everything up," I admitted and Lia nodded in thought, her thin mouth scrunched to the side in concentration.

"Well, I highly doubt ANYONE in Cassandra's Army would allow you to be alone with her, so you should be fine. They've set up some sort of bodyguard system, ever since the Bellot incident," she said rationally, pulling a brush through her mane of thick hair.

"True. Now that I think of it, I'm pretty sure Amber or Lex is on her detail for today, but it IS the Hogsmeade before Valentine's Day, so she might've shaken them off," Zach commented, earning him Lia's famous glare of death.

"_Poepol," _she cursed and he stuck his tongue out childishly, his dark eyes crinkling in mirth.

"I guess it couldn't hurt to try," I mused and Lia brightened, hugging me tightly with a smile on her face.

"I'm going to go get dressed. It is a Hogsmeade visit, after all. Imagine the sketching!" she said wonderingly, sprinting into the Girls' Dormitory, Zach shaking his head dubiously.

"I must be the luckiest bloke on the bloody planet. A Hogsmeade visit before Valentine's Day, and all she cares about is the sketching," Zach laughed and I rolled my eyes.

_Now, how can I get her to talk to me?_

Cora's POV

"There you-" I yelled, stopping short as I realized Will's position. We had set off from Gryffindor Tower over an hour ago, finally finding him in the Astronomy Tower, fast asleep against the chest of none other than Justin. Amber was staring at them with a sweet expression, while Lex looked stunned and Aves jumped up and down silently, clapping her hands in joy.

"Maybe we should just leave them," Lex whispered and I shook my head silently.

"What is a teacher finds them like this? They'll get detention!" I exclaimed, kneeling down and gently shaking the two boys.

"Will, Justin? Come on, wake up," I muttered and their eyes fluttered awake, Will blushing a bright scarlet as his eyes met mine.

"C-Core? This isn't what it looks like," he stammered and I cut him off, raising an eyebrow.

"Really? Because I was about to congratulate Justin on FINALLY asking you out. Unless, of course, this isn't what it looks like, and I will have to give Xander and Chase their money back," I smirked and they grinned, Justin standing up to help Will.

"It's the former. And you guys had bets on us?" Justin asked and Amber laughed out loud, her electric streaks looking even brighter than usual.

"No shit. We knew you'd get together at some point, just not when. I'm pretty sure all the money goes to Annika and Cora, they bet on Valentine's Day," she admitted and Will shook his head, his pale hand never leaving Justin's waist.

"Shall we?" he whispered and Justin nodded, taking his boyfriend's hand in his and leading him down the stairs, leaving us standing, speechless in their wake.

"They're perfect," Aves said softly, her hand over her heart.

"You're such a romantic," Amber muttered, though her eyes were sparkling with tears.

I stood up and shook my head, a smile on my face. Will looked so blissfully happy, he deserved it. But why was I so BITTER, so jealous? Not of him, but his relationship in general.

"I'm going to go get dressed," I said briskly, and they nodded, as I ran down the stairs and into the Gryffindor Corridor, where the Fat Lady was singing loudly, and horribly off-key,

"_If I lay here_

_If I just lay here_

_Would you lie with me_

_And just forget the world?_

_I don't quite know_

_How to say_

_How I feel,"_

"Valentine," I said hurriedly and the Fat Lady shot me a look as I flung open the Portrait Hole and ran into the dormitory, flinging open my trunk and digging until I found it: my favorite blue cable-knit sweater. I pulled it on over my Gryffindor t-shirt and yanked on a pair of old, stained jeans, as well as some gloves. The only thing that could clear my head now would be some Quidditch, followed by a piece of Honeydukes chocolate.

The air was crisp and cold, but I breathed deeply, relishing the feel of the wind against my too-warm cheeks. As I had expected, the Quidditch pitch was empty, everyone having gone to Hogsmeade for Valentine's Day, so I pulled my broom out and kicked off from the ground, spiraling and diving in complicated maneuvers. With glee, I realized that as soon as I was in the air, my thought of worry or anxiety just melted away, allowing me to focus on the flight.

I pulled myself higher, spiraling rapidly and then looping down, before pulling out from the dive less that a foot from the ground, so my fingertips stroked the frozen grass. My eyes closed and I let my instincts take over, guiding me away from obstacles without even seeing. I was so entranced, I didn't notice someone watching on the stands.

Finally, I did a quick lap around the Pitch, when I noticed him, his eyes wide as he spotted me on my broom. Fuming, I flew straight into the stands, landing gracefully beside him, my hands perched angrily on my hips.

"What are YOU doing here?" I spat and he shook his hair out of his eyes, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"You know, when I was young, my father told me never to apologize. He said it was beneath a person of my stature. But he was wrong. Cora, please forgive me. I'm so sorry," Aidan said softly and the blood left my face, as I stared at him blankly. _This is a hallucination. Aidan didn't just apologize to me. _

"Why?" I asked and he smiled sadly, pulling out a bar of my favorite, mint-cream Honeydukes chocolate out of his pocket.

"Chocolate first, questions later," he stated and I grinned, grabbing the piece he broke off for me. We sat in silence for a while, until he turned to me and sighed.

"I can't tell you why I've been such an ass. Believe me, I've tried. Right now, I just want to talk to you, Core," he mumbled and I hesitated, before leaning against him and grabbing his hand in my own.

"Okay. I suppose I owe you at least that after you bought me chocolate," I laughed and he chuckled, leaning back.

"Just riddle me this. Why on earth are you putting your life at risk for some madwoman's prophecy?" he asked and my blood chilled as I backed away, my face grim.

"Jo's no madwoman. And I'm not putting my life at risk for the prophecy! I couldn't give a shit about the prophecy!" I yelled and he stood up, his face equally angry.

"Then why are you gathering forces, telling people that there's a battle coming?" he demanded and I blushed wildly, feeling my skin crackle dangerously.

"BECAUSE IT'S THE BLOODY TRUTH! OR DO YOU BELIEVE YOUR WHORE OF A GIRLFRIEND, ISABELLA?" I screamed, the tears running down my cheeks. I knew that my accusation was false, but his expression of guilt led me to think otherwise.

"Wait. She's actually your girlfriend?" I asked and he stepped his forward, his eyes not meeting mine.

"No, she isn't Cora. But I can't believe you. I told you, ages ago, I love _you._ That hasn't changed, and it never will. So of course I'm raving mad that you're preparing yourself for a battle. Do you think I want you to be in danger?" he whispered, and I pushed him away, ignoring the hurt in his eyes.

"THINK, AIDAN! DON'T YOU THINK I'M SCARED OF WHAT'S TO COME?" I yelled, and one of the benches caught fire as the wind picked up, whipping my hair across my face.

"Please Cora, don't do this," he begged and I glared at him mercilessly.

"I have to Aidan," I breathed, walking forward and placing my hand on his cheek.

"The only reason I'm fighting…is for YOU."

I left him alone in the stands, grabbing my broom and flying onto the Pitch, where I threw my broom in the closet and ran towards Hagrid's hut. Lucky for me, I crashed into someone past the Black Lake, taking them down with me.

"Oh, shit. I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" I asked the girl, as she rubbed her head and nodded, smiling shyly. She looked to be my age, but I hadn't seen her before, though her attire clearly indicated she was a Ravenclaw.

"Yes, I'm fine. Though my head says different," she chuckled nervously, standing up and blushing wildly as she noticed my perusal.

"Are you new?" I asked and she nodded, shrugging her shoulders.

"That obvious, eh?" she replied and I inclined my head, a smirk on my face as I realized that her Irish lilt was marred by a slight American accent, though her butterscotch hair and green-brown eyes indicated that was Irish of origin. She was tall, dressed in a simple blue jacket and black jeans, with a dark tan that seemed to cover every inch of her seamlessly. Her face was soft, and she had big eyes with long, reddish lashes, making her more of a mysterious beauty. _Lex is going to have a field day…_

"I'm Aerie Nixe," she said, holding out a skeletal, tanned hand. I noticed, with surprise that it seemed to have an iridescent sheen and I shook it hesitantly, worried that her power could involve stunning me somehow.

"Cora. Where did you transfer from?" I asked and her face eased, as she sat on the rocks by the shore, letting her bare feet soak in the frigid water.

"Hawaii Institute for Magic," she replied softly, throwing a stone in the water.

"HAWAII?" I exclaimed and she grinned toothily. I saw a necklace made of shark's teeth grace her thin neck.

"Tha's what everyone says," she laughed and I punched her gently, though it hurt my fist quite more than her arm, which was rock-hard with lean muscle.

"I'd imagine so," I commented and she shook her head, her tangled locks of her falling to her waist. Suddenly, my eyes fell on her feet and I stared at her with panicked eyes.

"Aren't you cold? The lake is freezing this time of year," I gasped and she shook her head, glancing at me nervously.

"Really? I don' think it is," she mused and I stuck my hand in the water before pulling it out rapidly, my skin burning. It felt like ice!

"I shoulda probably mentioned, I'm 'alf merrow. Water is always warm to me," she laughed and I raised an eyebrow.

"You're half MERMAID?" I asked, and she nodded. Now the iridescent sheen on her tanned limbs made sense, as well as her skeletal figure and the shark's teeth.

"Me mum was a merrow, but when I'm out of the water, I look more like me dad. At least, so I've bin' told," she muttered, her face flushing red.

"What do you mean?" I asked, and she turned away, refusing to meet my eyes.

"Never saw me parents. Lived in an orphanage all me life, but they moved me around so much, because of how I was," she shrugged, but I heard the pain in her voice as her large eyes closed, letting a single tear roll down her cheek.

"Oh. I'm sorry," I said and she shook her head, throwing another rock into the water.

"Wasn't yer fault. Just happy to have made a friend," she said absently and I smiled at her, my thoughts of Aidan disappearing.

"Hey, do you want to see Hogsmeade?" I asked and she nodded, pulling on a pair of thin suede boots and following me up the path into the magical village.

It was bustling with couples holding hands and exchanging gifts of roses or jewelry. Aerie seemed equally uncomfortable with the scene and she looked down, smiling nervously my way.

"CORA!" I heard a voice yell, and I spun around, when Lex enveloped me in a tight hug, squeezing the life out of me.

"Lex-must-breathe-dying," I stammered and she released me, a stern look in her eyes.

"WE HAVE BEEN WORRIED SICK! DID YOU FORGET THAT TODAY WAS MY DAY ON GUARD PATROL?" she yelled, and I rolled my eyes.

"I've told you, Lex, I don't need a bodyguard. I can take care of myself. Don't tell me you don't want to spend Valentine's Day with your boyfriend," I chuckled and she blanched, her face becoming paler than usual.

"What is it?" I asked and she shook her head frantically, breathing deeply.

"_Sirena!"_ she exclaimed and Aerie turned around, making my blood freeze. Her face was no longer soft and beautiful, it was gaunt and terrifying as she wailed loudly, the sound piercing my ears, though it didn't seem to bother Lex, who hissed in response.

"Cora, what are you doing with _her?_" she asked and Aerie stared at her, affronted.

"Seriously, Lex. Do you have to fight with every half-with or wizard in this place? First, Aves and Skye, and now Aerie. What do you have against Merpeople?" I asked and Aerie screeched in response, her eyes turning a blood shot yellow and her hair begin to float as though she were underwater.

"It's not Merpeople I have a problem with. But as the daughter of a Vampire clan, I am obliged to fight for territory with the Merchieftainess of Hogwarts," Lex hissed and I blasted them apart with a shield, stunning Aerie back to her normal form.

"Aerie, you're a Merchieftainess?" I asked and she looked at me, bemused.

"What are you talking about, Cora?" she replied, her voice trembling. Lex stepped back and nodded in thought.

"Cora, she doesn't remember. She WON'T remember," Lex whispered and I turned to her angrily.

"Why?" I demanded and she glanced over my shoulder.

"Her Mer-self is not exactly living in harmony with her human self. It's like being possessed by someone," Lex explained and Aerie stood up, trembling in the cold as people stared at her, afraid.

"Lex, control yourself. She is no threat to you," I said firmly and Lex nodded, as I walked over to support Aerie, who nearly collapsed on my shoulders.

"Come on, Aerie. Let's get you warmed up," I muttered, as people backed away slowly. I gave them a piercing glare and shook my head.

"She's a person too, you know. No need to avoid her like the plague," I snapped, leading her into the Leaky Cauldron and setting her down at an empty table, ordering 2 Butterbeers and pulling out some chocolate from my jacket.

"You carry around chocolate?" Lex asked, taking a sip from her drink, which looked suspiciously like mead.

"A friend of mine told me once: chocolate is the cure for every illness," I answered, handing Aerie a piece, which she ate like a starving child.

"So is firewhisky," Lex replied and I rolled my eyes, sipping my Butterbeer.

"I'd rather not get anyone drunk today, Lex. Where's Jack?" I asked and Lex gulped the rest of her glass in one shot, a malicious glint in her eyes.

"He said he'd meet me here...two hours ago. I don't know," she replied, burying her head in her arms.

"I'm sure he'll show," I assured her and she snorted derisively, looking up at Aerie, who was fiddling with her shark-tooth necklace.

"We haven't been introduced. I'm Lex," she said, smiling kindly.

"Aerie Nixe," the girl beside me replied, waving shyly and throwing back her now wet-looking hair.

"Who's Jack?" she asked curiously and Lex groaned, walking over to the bar to order another drink.

"Her boyfriend. Lex would never admit this, but she's insecure, especially about him. But they're the Hogwarts golden couple," I explained and Aerie nodded, looking around curiously.

"That isn't him, is it?" she asked, pointing to the open door, where Jack stepped through, shaking his snowflake-laden hair.

"Yes, it is! How'd you know?" I mused and she pointed to her ears.

"Merpeople need enhanced hearing, because everything is muffled underwater. I inherited that trait, and he was talking to someone outside," she stated simply, as though that had already been fairly obvious.

"Cora!" Jack yelled, walking to our table and sitting where Lex had sat before.  
>"Jack, you bloody wanker. What the hell are you playing at, arriving 2 hours late?" I asked him, and he pulled off his scarf, gesturing at the bag that he'd been holding.<p>

"Scotland isn't exactly the ideal environment of growth for Fleurs du Feu," he panted clutching his arm. "Had to fly outside of the Appartition border then Apparate to Indonesia no less, but I splinched myself coming back. Do you mind healing the wound before I see her," he breathed, the blood draining from his face. I nodded fiercely and I ripped the sleeve off his shirt, placing my hands over his wound and clearing my head of thought. Slowly, I felt warmth creep to my fingers and the flesh grow back, sealing his wound.

"Thanks," he mumbled, and I nodded biting ferociously at the chocolate, sighing contently as the warmth spread back through my body.

"What are YOU doing here?" I heard Lex spit venomously as she returned to the table.

"Lex, please, let me explain," he stammered, though I heard him trail off in the end and raised my head, my heart jumping at the sight.

"I think you have quite some explaining to do, son," Vlad said dangerously, his silver hair falling to mid-back.

"Mr. Dracul!" I exclaimed, hugging him tightly. He laughed boisterously and placed a kiss on my head as I sat down, moving down to make room for him and Lex.

"It is nice to see you too, my dear. Your mother sends you her greeting, but she was quite…incapacitated to come today. She apologizes greatly," he admitted and I blanched.

"What happened?" I asked and he blushed-something I doubted was even possible.

"She was quite sick, in the morning," he stammered and I gasped as I realized what he meant.

"No," I muttered and he smiled sheepishly, shrugging his shoulders. Lex looked equally stunned, though the sparkle in her eyes revealed that she was quite joyful.

"I hope you won't mind a baby brother, Core," he continued and I smiled widely, nibbling on the last square of chocolate. Lex squealed in joy, and even Jack smiled briefly, before Vlad glared at him.

"So, you are the boy my daughter has been so enraptured over. I must say, I expected more," he commented and Jack straightened up, a determined gaze in his grey eyes.

"My name is Jack McGinn, sir. It is a pleasure to meet you," he stated grandly, sticking out his hand to Lex's dad. Vlad's red eyes lingered on the hand for several seconds, before he seized it in his own and shook it firmly, making sure to gaze in Vlad's eyes.

"Tell me, why are you so enamored with my daughter?" Vlad asked and Lex turned scarlet, already fearing the response. Jack noticed this and took a deep breath, gazing at the aquiline face of the Dracul patriarch.

"Sir, your daughter is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. She is fierce, compassionate, and her unwavering strength and loyalty to those she loves is remarkable. Her pride is quite ferocious, but that shields the fact that she has been hurting, and that she is vulnerable as well. Naturally, the fact that she is utterly beauteous is not a deterring factor, but I would love her even if she were ugly. Her inner beauty far outshines anything that I could ever imagine," Jack replied, as silent tears streamed down Lex's porcelain cheeks and he held out his hand, which she took firmly in her own. Vlad stared at him for some time, during which Aerie sipped silently at her drink, her greenish eyes flashing between the two men. Finally he nodded, and smiled, patting Jack on the shoulder.

"Do not hurt her, Jack," he whispered, standing up and smoothing his black jacket. Nodding solemnly, Jack stood up and wrapped his strong arm around Lex's waist.

"I would never dream of such a thing," Jack replied and Vlad blinked smiling at me, then hugging Lex.

"Your mother would be proud," he breathed and Lex nodded, as Jack pulled her closer, placing a light kiss against her temple as Vlad vanished in a flash of black smoke.

"Oh, your present," Jack remembered, pulling something out of the bag and handing it to Lex, who gasped loudly. They were the most beautiful flowers, similar to orchids, though they emitted sparks and a warm red glow, their petals flickering like the light of a fire.

"Fleur de Feu," she whispered, her eyes wide as she gazed at them.

"That's why I was late. Apparition to Indonesia takes longer than I had anticipated," he shrugged and she shook her head, throwing back her curls.

"I was such an idiot, Jack. Forgive me?" she begged and he nodded, kissing her passionately in the middle of the pub, as Aerie smiled sadly.

"I think I'll head back up to the Castle," she murmured and I nodded, following her out of the pub and into the cold street.

**A/N: How'd I do? I know Jack was SO sweet, I nearly cried during that bit, and that Aidan was a jackass, but how was it? And yes, Cora's mum is pregnant! For all of you Vlad/Alina shippers, this is your DAY! Celebrate! I couldn't resist though, I apologize. What about our new character, Aerie? Does anyone have any request/suggestions considering her? For some reason, she just confuses me, even though I wrote her. And yes, she does grow a tail when submerged fully underwater. Just thought you might want to know that. Please leave a review, even you new people! You made my day with those reviews, you really did. I actually jumped on my bed and nearly broke it. Flames and hugs are welcome, Fleur de Feu to whoever does review, unless you prefer Honeydukes' Mint-Cream filled Chocolate…**


	42. Dueling Lessons

**A/N: Hey! So, after all that diabetic shock from last chapter's fluff, we have pure, unadulterated Harry Potter action, dueling-style. Come on, it had to happen! As though Dumbledore would leave his students defenseless, pish-posh! I have one small request of my readers though. A dear friend of mine has a brother who has to undergo surgery for a tumor in his brain. I believe, similar to Will, that power is always greater when many think as one, so if you could please just send happy thoughts, it would mean the world to me. She's the most amazing person, and she loves her brother with the heart of a lioness. That's the only request I have, and I promise to keep posting if you do so! For those of you with short memories, I suggest you recall the chapter in which Aidan's Vow was made, and how Isabella convinced him to be the Bonder. It is important during this chapter. Thanks to the Elves, im-the-doctor, and weirdgiraffe for reviewing. This chapter is for Skye and Kiki.**

Lia's POV

"She's must be out of her mind," I muttered, glancing at Jess, who was talking excitedly about today's class, her brown ponytail swishing from side to side. Cora was sitting up eagerly, her back rimrod-straight, just like it always was when she was deeply interested about something a teacher was planning. Beside her, Amber was glancing at our side of the class dubiously, sending challenging looks to the Ravenclaws.

"Good morning class!" Jess said brightly, though I saw her nervously fingering the ring that was constantly around her neck.

"Good morning, Professor Andersonn," the class replied, fairly monotone. Usually DADA was the most exciting out of our curriculum, Jess preferring to teach us practically, rather than with notes, but it was too early for any class. Last time, she had taken us to one of the Castle's outer rooms, releasing a Grindylow into the pool, and teaching us how to deal with it underwater. It had been utterly satisfying to watch Lex struggle beneath the water, her fiery nature deeply altered. Somehow, she had managed to scald the Grindylow with hot water, earning her an, "Exceeds Expectations," though we were instructed explicitly not to use our paraxenic abilities. In many ways, Jess taught like Cora, forcing us out of our comfort zone, where we stayed content with our abilities, and teaching us to use our magic as well. It made us stronger, as a whole, and many members of the Army had considered asking Cora to consider adding Jess as a teacher.

"I have gathered all of my Defense classes today for a joint lesson on something you will ALL encounter in your life, at some time or another. Without a doubt, many of you have heard of the recent breakout from Azkaban," she explained, and most of the class looked at Cora pointedly, though she kept her eyes glued to Jess.

"As well as the supposed destination for the escapees. Professor Dumbledore has asked me to teach all of my classes the proper method for Dueling, though in a case of emergency, it is infinitely better to find a teacher. These people are ruthless, and extremely dangerous, and they will not hesitate to kill. However, it is good to be prepared, so today, I will be placing you in pairs, and you will duel, to the best of your abilities, as though you were fighting for your lives. Furthermore, I will allow the use of Paraxenic abilities during these duels, as the prisoners no doubt will be using theirs against you. I do not want you to fight solely with your powers, Ms. Rattigan, would you be prepared to assist me as well today? We may need to split up some of the fight if powers get too far out of hand," Jess asked and many glared at Cora maliciously. Our abilities are part of who we are, and the idea of someone shutting them down was atrocious. I turned my head at Aidan, but he was staring at the Newid's head, his eyes wide with worry and regret.

"Sure, professor," Cora said firmly, ignoring the glares behind her. Amber patted her shoulder and pulled out a bottle from her back, which she filled with water. Cora grinned and took a sip, shuddering as she realized how ice-cold it was.

"Thank you. Now, please write your name on a piece of parchment and place it in this box up here. I will draw randomly," Jess instructed, winking at me as she sat at her desk, poring over a large book.

I stood up slowly and gathered Zach's, Alec's and Aidan's pieces, throwing them into the box along with mine. Smiling at Jess, I turned to walk back to my table when Isabella pushed me aside, making me fall on the ground.

"Freak," she spat and my eyes narrowed, as I sat back up, rubbing my back.

"I'm going to kill her," Zach growled as I sat down beside him, and I gripped his hand, shaking my head.

"She's not worth it. It's not like her words matter anyways," I rationalized and he let out a dark chuckle, clutching his wand possessively.

"I really hope Prof. Andersonn pulls my name with hers," he mused and I punched his arms, looking affronted as Jess instructed us to move to the back of the classroom, using her wand to create a sort of makeshift dueling arena in the center of the class.

"Okay, class. Everyone climb up the stairs and onto the balcony. We want to remain safe during the duel," Jess said morosely, and I noticed her eyes drop to the ground in the memory of something horrible.

"_Protego Totalum,"_ the teacher yelled, and an invisible shield erupted from her wand, so no projectiles would hit us during the battle.

The members of Cassandra's Army exchanged a smirk: we had been practicing extensive stuns, jinxes and hexes last time, all of us successfully mastering quite a few. But we had been hesitant to battle the older students, and we were eagerly awaiting the opportunity to battle each other.

"Quiet please!" Jess yelled, and the class silenced its talking, scrambling for the best spot to watch the duel.

"The first duelists are…Amber Wilcox and Justin Alquist!" the professor announced and Will guffawed, as his boyfriend's face blanched, glancing at the pixie-like, vicious girl, who smiled sweetly, batting her eyelashes. She pulled off her excessively baggy sweater and snatched her wand, calmly walking down the stairs, with Justin following behind her, his face already accepting defeat. Then again, Justin DID have some talent when it came to hexes, especially those that could be considered quite unpleasant.

"Now, it is customary to bow to each other before a duel," Jess instructed, sitting outside of the shield, with Cora by her side.

Justin and Amber bowed deeply and Amber smirked at him deviously.

"Good. You may begin," Jess said, and Amber stood up, shooting a jet of water at Justin, who dove to the side in order to dodge it.

"_Densaugeo!"_ he yelled, and Amber swished her wand powerfully, non-verbally shielding the spell as Justin closed his eyes, as though concentrating on not dying.

"_Avis!"_ Amber whispered, the bright blue birds erupting from her wand, and Justin laughed loudly.

Pocketing his wand, he brought his hands together before throwing them apart, causing a pair of black wings to sprout from his back. He smiled widely and began floating around her in a circle his wings flapping gently.

"_Oppugno," _she said calmly, and the birds began attacking him, causing him to crash to the floor, where he was soaked with another round of water, while Amber moved forward.

Thinking quickly, he pulled out his wand and pointed it at her feet.

"_Impedimenta!" _he croaked, against the stream of water, and Amber was blasted backwards, where she stood up, her face determined as she formed a giant sphere of water above her head, throwing it violently towards Justin, her wand pointing at it determinedly.

"_Glacius!"_ she yelled and a giant ball of ice crashed into Justin, knocking him unconscious.

I heard Will gasp, and Cora rushed forward to check his injuries.

"He's fine. Just knocked out," she said to Jess, though her eyes were to Will, who nodded and shook his head. Jess walked over briskly and tapped Justin with her wand, causing him to stand up, fully awake and walk to the side, sitting contently.

"Well done, Ms. Wilcox. Ten points to Gryffindor," she congratulated Amber, who grinned and skipped to Justin's side, sitting leisurely.

"Next. Sam Evanson and Natalia Twimander," Jess said, and I rolled my eyes. Nats was one of Isabella's cronies: a rich, pompous girl with a nasally voice and air occupying her head. I had met Sam on several occasions, and despite his shy and quiet manner, he had managed to throw Cora across the Room with a well-placed Stun.

They bowed to each other and Nats smiled brightly, her eyes wide and creepy.

"Come on, Sam. You won't hurt me," she said softly and he didn't look up, simply pulling out his wand and pointing it at hers calmly.

"_Expelliarmus," _he said sharply, catching her wand deftly as it flew out of her hand, and turning to her briskly, flicking his wand.

"_Stupefy!"_ he yelled and she flew back, when she stood up furiously, throwing back her mane of ridiculously over-treated hair.

"How dare you! You filthy Mudblood!" she shrieked and her wand flew back into her hand.

"_Sectumsempra!"_ she yelled and he dodged the curse, rolling aside and shooting another stun her way.

She kept sending the same curse at him, over and over, until it hit his leg, causing blood to burst from his wounds and soil his pants.

"_Petrificus Totalus!"_ he breathed, and she collapsed, stiff, as he snatched her wand in his hand, holding it up in triumph as we burst into applause. Cora ran over and healed his wounds, smiling brightly as she lifted the jinx from Nats' body, allowing her to move freely as he placed her wand back in her hand, smiling victoriously. I noticed with glee that he was about half her size, as he sat next to Justin, who bumped fists with him as Amber grinned wickedly.

"Ten points to Ravenclaw, Mr. Evanson. You should consider the Auror office in the future," Jess said softly and he blushed a deep red, looking at his shoes.

"Next. Lia Munroe and…Lex Dracul," Jess said softly and I suppressed a smirk as I descended the stairs, bowing to Lex, who looked absolutely sure of herself. Zach shot me a wink and I smiled, pulling out my wand sharply as Lex threw a stream of fire my way.

"_Aqua Eructo!_" I shrieked, extinguishing the flames and soaking her to the bone, a fact that made Amber chuckle, and lean forward in her seat.

"_Levicorpus!"_ she yelled, and I was lifted by the ankle, my hair falling across my face. Deciding that my wand would be useless, I threw a powerful shield, knocking her on her feet and dazing her, giving me several seconds in which to act.

"_Carpe Retractum!"_ I pointed my wand at a table and it flew towards Lex, floating above her. As I had expected, she set it on fire and seized control of it with her own wand, sending it my way with a powerful wave of her wand.

"_Reducto!"_ I yelled, and the table blew up in a cloud of dust, hiding Lex and I from each other's sight.

Silently, I began sending stuns in her general direction, but when the dust cleared, I realized that she had dodged every one of them.

"_Clava Espantalho!_" she shrieked and a cloud of bats began attacking me, before I threw them off with a shield, flinging a snake her way with a non-verbal. _Damn you, Lex and your Bat-Bogey Hexes!_

"_Bombarda!"_ I yelled, and the cabinet behind her blew up, throwing her forward and sending her wand flying.

"_Accio," _I said, and the wand flew into my hand as I helped her up. She took my hand and pulled herself up, leaning heavily on my shoulder. Unfortunately, I noticed too late that she had pickpocketed my robes, pulling out her wand and smirking contently as she pointed it at me.

"_Incarcerous,_" she whispered and I was bound in ropes, which I threw off with a strong shield, using another to knock her on her feet, letting me stand up and direct a final jinx.

"_Furnunculus,"_ I smirked, satisfied when she whimpered, her face now covered in painful red boils, which Jess calmly removed with a flick of her wand.

"That was quite the battle, girls. Ten points to Slytherin, and five to Gryffindor," she nodded and I handed Lex her wand, high-fiving Amber as I sat down beside her. Cora shot me a look and I shrugged nonchalantly, making her laugh as the next two were called.

"Cora Rattigan and Isabella Carmicheal."

Cora's POV

I froze and turned to the staircase, where Isabella was sneering crookedly, descending the stairs and throwing back her snake-like braids. Alec was staring at her wide-eyed and Aves looked frightened as my eyes coasted over the crowd, looking for HIM.

Aidan wasn't even glancing at the arena; his back was towards it, his hand clutching his arm in pain. I nodded determinedly and stepped out onto the floor, drawing my wand out of my pocket and tying my hair out of my eyes.

"Good luck, Mudblood," Isabella spat and my eyes darkened, as my battle instincts kicked in. We began flinging meaningless jinxes and curses, but our Shield powers blocked any spells. Finally, my body began flinging powerful bolts of energy to her, which she dodged sharply, sending curses and objects my way. _She's just trying to exhaust us! Two can do that…_

Deciding to let my senses take over, I spotted a vial of something green on the Professor's glass and _Accio'ed _it into my hand, flinging it into the air and making it explode, creating a floating fire.

"_Aguamenti!" _she shrieked, extinguishing the fire and cackling madly.

"Is that all that you can do?" she asked and I stood up, the whites of my eyes now becoming entirely black. I locked in on her powers, and battled them with my own, so that she could not use them against me. Once they were submerged, I began battling her with my wand, the hold on her powers draining my energy quite rapidly as I flung every jinx and hex we had learned.

"_Protego!" _ I yelled, as she flung another Stun my way. My mind flickered back to the conversation Aidan and I had had on the Quidditch Pitch and my anger broke free, as a dark cloud formed above our heads, shooting lightning at Isabella.

"_Cessatio!"_ I screamed and she flew back, hitting the wall, her body motionless. Panting, I released my powers and the storm dissipated as I walked over to mend her broken arm. As soon as I had finished, she grabbed my arm and sat up so that her mouth was at my ear.

"_Mon combat peuvent avoir été perdus aujourd'hui, mais demain, c'est la victoire!"__**(Translate: My fight may have been lost today, but tomorrow is victory.)**_ she whispered and I shuddered, seizing her wand and lifting it in the air for victory.

"Just get up," I spat and she stood up, grabbing her wand and walking to the sidelines, her nose held high.

"Are you okay?" Prof. Andersonn whispered in my ear and I nodded, sitting down on a chair as she announced the next two duelists.

"Avery McGee and Alec Carmicheal," she announced and I gasped, glancing at the balcony where the couple stood, gobsmacked. Nodding solemnly, Aves stepped down and into the arena, her wand raised in preparation above her head. Slowly, Alec made his way down the stairs, where Isabella met him and I enhanced my ears, to listen.

"_KILL HER!"_ I heard her whisper, in the voice of a sweet seven year old, and Alec's eyes glazed over as he bowed meekly towards Aves and raised his wand in preparation.

_What the bloody hell?_

"WAIT!" I screamed, but it was too late, they had already begun. Alec was sending curses her way and Aves was fighting back, but the tears in her eyes told me that she was not going to fight him to the best of her ability. I had seen her during practice, and she had the ability to be deadly if she needed to.

I blew through the Professor's shield and the class ran out of the door as the spells began flying haphazardly, only Isabella, Aidan, Prof. Andersonn and some of Cassandra's Army remaining as I entered the arena, my wand drawn.

"STUPEFY!" I screamed, pushing Aves aside and stepping in her place. The look on Alec's face was that of pure hatred and he lashed out at me with curse after curse, as Aves pleaded with him.

"Aves, NO! Get out!" I heard Aidan yell, and he jumped in as well, using his invisibility upon Aves to shield her from Alec's gaze.

"Mr. Carmicheal, cease this at once!" Jess said, and he turned to her with a bemused look, before shooting a non-verbal Body-Bind curse her way.

"GUYS! RUN!" I screamed, and Lex jumped up, pushing everyone out of the classroom, her eyes swimming with hot tears as she looked at me one last time. Isabella was still in the room, standing by Alec, her voice soothing and honey-sweet.

"Kill her, Alec. Please?" she begged and the tears rolled from his eyes as he blasted me back, walking forward with a glint in his eye.

"NO!" Aidan yelled, and the invisibility broke, as Alec saw Aves, and walked emotionlessly her way, where she trembled. With a sharp jab of his wand, Aidan was stunned and he focused on Aves.

"Alec? Alec, it's me!" she pleaded and he raised his wand as Isabella snaked behind him, whispering into his ear.

"One spell, Al. One spell and we'll be free!" she exclaimed, with all the joy of a seven-year old at Christmas and I shoved Iz aside with a spell as Alec's voice cracked, his body racking with sobs as his wand pointed to Aves' head.

"Alec! Snap out of it!" I yelled and his head twitched slightly, before turning back to Aves.

"I must do it. Must do it for Suze. Then we can be free," he muttered and Aves gulped, standing up and screaming at Isabella.

"You bloody Manipulator! Stop it, can't you see you're hurting him?" she yelled and Isabella just sneered, throwing back her braids.

"Not likely, McGee. Why should I listen to a half-breed like you?" she spat and I pinned her to the ground with a shield.

"Release him, Carmicheal. Or I will force you to," I threatened and she laughed madly, her knotted wand lying beside her head.

"Will you really? If you remove it forcibly, he'll go into shock," she sneered and I bit my lip as Aves screeched madly.

"AVES!" I yelled and she turned to me with desperate eyes. "We can do this. You need to shake him out of his trance. Try your hardest. In the meantime, I'll subdue her abilities, giving you time to run."

She nodded frantically and stepped up to Alec, seizing his hand firmly and looking into his blank eyes, which now seemed to hold some sort of milky film.

"Al? Please, wake up! This isn't you!" she shrieked and he blinked, glancing at her with mild interest.

Breathing deeply, I pushed down on Isabella's powers, trying to ignore Alec's screams as he writhed in agony, Isabella refusing to give her hold up.

"NO! No, Alec! Look at me, please. Remember me?" she asked and he screamed, thrashing in her arms as she tried to calm me. Desperate, she pushed her lips on his and kissed him passionately, her mouth working furiously upon his. He fought against her valiantly, but she refused to let him go, throwing her entire heart and soul into the kiss.

"Suze, no," he groaned, submitting to Aves' onslaught and going limp in her arms, as I drew my wand with a shaking hand and stunned Isabella unconscious, my head dizzy as I collapsed on the floor, my head turned to the two reunited lovers. Aves was sitting on the floor, her hair clinging to her face with tears as she held the unconscious Alec, rocking back and forth.

"I love you," she breathed in silent vigil, repeating the words as though it was a form of the purest worship.

**A/N: How'd I do? I know the dueling was a bit redundant at times, but I love writing it so much. The Cessatio spell is an invention of Morgana's, halting magical action and stunning the caster's opponent. And Alec and Aves needed a moment, as well as Aidan. He has now played hero, at least a bit, so Cora is going to go easy on him. Who am I kidding? She may, or she may not, it depends on how I feel tomorrow. And if you want to know how Skye saw the whole I'm-in-a-different-world incident, check out the new chapter of Skye Night-SkyeElf's brilliant story. I laughed my ass off, and so should you, after this heart wrenching chapter. Please drop me a review, and tell me what you thought of the duels and Aves/Alec! Hugs as well as flames are welcome. Reviewers get…virtual homemade apple pie with vanilla sauce. To make everything better. **


	43. Forgive and Forget

**A/N: Hello my dear readers! Firstly, a bit of celebration. This is the first chapter that I have written from my iPad! Celebrate! Sorry, but I'm so happy, I'm pulling an Aves and jumping up and down, because I managed to write the entire chapter on a touch screen. Even though this chapter is short-a fact for which I apologize heartily- it's for all of your Cora/Aidan shippers, and I think that's all of you. There's a slight mention of Jo/Albus, but it's fairly brief, though important. A huge hug to all of you that promised to think happy thoughts. You are doing an immeasurable difference! Thanks to the Elves, weirdgiraffe, clairwe(yay!), HideAmongTheAshes and I'm the doctor for reviewing. This chapter is for my mom, for being utterly amazing!**

Cora's POV

I opened my eyes with a groan, my tired pupils not accustomed to the bright rays of sunlight in the hospital wing.

"Not again," I moaned, sitting up on the stiff mattress and looking around at the too-familiar beds. At the other end of the wing lay Alec, who was sleeping lightly and mumbling in his sleep, as though he were having a bad dream. By his side was a snoozing Aves, her neon hair covering her face completely.

"Core?" I heard a deep voice mumble, and I twisted in my position to find Seth floating by my bedside, his face a mixture of worry and regret.

"Oh, do you suddenly care?" I spat, regretting my words immediately as he looked down in shame, his dark curls falling morosely.

"I can't expect you to understand-" he began but I cut him off by jumping out of the bed and glaring at him, my eyes going black as they had yesterday. I was suddenly aware of every single fibre of every being in the room, and I felt in CONTROL. it was a terrifying sensation, but addicting as well and I calmed myself before I turned on him.

"Try me, Seth! Bloody hell, why does everyone in this place think that I can't understand. If I don't, then help me to! This is a bloomin' school, after all!" I shrieked and

I heard the sound of footsteps behind me.

"Ms. Rattigan, this is a hospital wing, not a pub. Take your brawls outside or quiet down," the mediwitch exclaimed and I collapsed back on my bed, turned away from Seth, as she began fussing over the willowy figure two beds down, handing her potions and vials while shaking her head.

"There's only one option, Joanne, and you know what it involves. But 's needs consent from the father as well," she whispered, and I sharpened my hearing to hear Jo's response. I lamented it immediately.

"Albus will never consent to such a thing, Poppy. And I wouldn't want him to. Are you sure?" Jo mumbled and my mind worked quicker than I ever could have thought possible, the puzzle pieces falling into place. _It can't be. Jo's pregnant?_

"Cora, keep it to yourself," Seth murmured in my ear and I glared at him sharply, though I nodded mutely, punching my pillow into a more comfortable shape.

"Where have you been? Do you have any idea what's happened since I saw you last. One day, I get swallowed by a fire-snake and the next, the only person who KNOWS what I'm going through has vanished into thin air!" I whispered urgently and he lowered himself onto a chair, adjusting his dragonhide coat.

"Dumbledore told me everything, and Aves gave me details when she was awake. Are you out of your mind, gathering forces?" he exclaimed and I rolled my eyes.

"You sound like Aidan, please spare me. Cassandra's Army wasn't my idea," I argued and he rolled his eyes, leaning back.

"But did you try to stop it?" he countered and my face flushed, giving away my emotions. "Precisely."

"People have a right to the truth!" I objected and he nodded thoughtfully, glancing nervously at Aves.

"That's why I'm not going to stop you. Dumbledore has never bee a man of action, and if this has spread past our world, then action is our only option. The Wizarding Community will be thanking you on bender knee," he mused and I snorted, throwing him a copy of the Bellot's article that I carried around with me as a reminder of the threat. It passed right through him and he sighed, staring at me bemusedly.

"Forgot, huh?" he asked and I nodded, pulling the newspaper from the floor.

"Haven't you heard? I'm officially a nutcase!" I gestured to the paper and he shrugged nonchalantly, as though that meant nothing.

"Mariame Bellot feeds on rumors and fear. Once you have proven yourself, it's a piece of cake," he said assuredly and I bit my lip, glancing at his tired face.

"I was doing research, seeing if there was any way in which I could flit between the worlds as a ghost. I thought that, maybe I could find a world in which I hadn't caused all this rubbish. A world in which you could grow up as a normal witch, in which you could have a say in your life," he admitted and my eyes softened as I saw his expression.

"It doesn't exist, does it?" I asked, and he shook his head, fidgeting with a lace on his combat boots.

"I found that there are an infinite amount of worlds, but ours is the only one that is unique. The others are just variants on the other two purest worlds: Harry Potter's and Skye Night's. Since even the smallest choice could change everything, there are so many, but they hang onto the three center worlds as some sort of lifeline," he frowned and we remained quiet for a while, the only sounds penetrating the silence being my breathing.

"Seth? Can I ask you something?" I inquired and he smiled at the timid color of my eyes, no doubt a light periwinkle at this point.

"You will ask no matter my answer," he smirked and I stuck my tongue out childishly, sitting up and throwing back my bush of curly hair.

"How did you deal with it? I know Cassandra considered you over me as the One," I stated and he bit the inside of his cheek in worry. Leaning forward, he gestured to Aves, whose hand had wrapped tightly around Al's.

"I had someone to fight for. When I was alive, I was like Alec, not quite sure of myself, and letting everyone step on me. Until I met Zoe, and she flipped my world upside down. Imagine the sweetest, and bravest person you can-that was my Zoe. I couldn't bear to let her die, but I left because of what my death caused you. Honestly, I believe the world would have split a long time ago if I hadn't died. But I was never as strong as you are. Cora, I died to spare her life, and I think that because of that, I doomed you to my fate," he explained, a morose look darkening his face.

"She sounds wonderful," I amused and he laughed, his eyes brimming with what looked like tears.

"She was, but I suppose it wasn't meant to be," he shrugged, but it was obvious that he was hurting as he forced me to look at him.

"My greatest regret in life is that I never told her that I loved her. If there's anything that you need to learn from me, it's that forgiving and forgetting are some of the most powerful words in the world," he said knowingly and I looked down, my head trembling slightly, causing the bottle of potion on my night stand to fall on the ground.

"Seth, I don't think I can forgive him," I muttered and he smiled gently, his face looking as though his scar had all but disappeared.

"Cora, if anyone can, it's you. You forget that I was a Newid as well, and I sense your emotions," he whispered and I looked at him nervously, making him nod assuredly.

"He's in the library."

Aidan's POV

"Lia, what if she doesn't wake up? What if I can never talk to her again?" I asked her and she sighed deeply, slamming her book on Potions shut, earning her a fierce glare from Madam Pince, which she matched with one of her own.

"Honestly, Aidan! If you're so worried about her, just go see her," Zach muttered, scratching out a sentence with his forest-green quill and nibbling at the end before standing up to get another book from the bookcase.

Lia smiled affectionately in his direction and glanced at me, her face worried.

"There's something wrong with Zach. I can feel it," she whispered and I glanced at her, abandoning my Transfiguration homework. But I could finish during breakfast, Professor Macnamara never gave us tons of work anyways.

"Ask him," I answered simply and she rolled her eyes, biting off a piece of biltong surreptitiously.

"No wonder you can't talk to Cora. You have no tact whatsoever!" she exclaimed and I laughed sarcastically as Zach sat back down, immersing himself in the book.

"What's so funny?" he mumbled and I shook my head, waving him down. I glanced down at my hand and fingered the ring on my right hand thoughtfully, as the energy from it radiated brightly. The Vestey family was old and prejudiced, and whenever we were 'purifying', as my grandmother called it, the onyx ring would emit energy, letting every member know. I felt sick at the fact that right now, some poor Muggleborn or innocent was being tortured at the hand of my dad and his brothers.

"Since when did you become so interested in glamour and concealment charms?" Lia asked carefully, and Zach shot her a blank look, before stuffing the book into his bag rapidly.

"No reason. Just thought it'd be useful to learn," he blanched and I shot him a weird look.

"Mate, what's wrong? You're freaking us out," I asked and he avoided my eyes as he wrung his hands nervously.

"Zach?" Lia whispered, and he flinched at the sound of her soft voice, gathering the books and walking out of the library without giving us a second look.

Lia looked hurt and I had the urge to jinx him into a jelly for the obvious pain he was causing her. Smiling sadly, she packed her things as well, waving shyly before heading out of the library.

"Hey, Core," I heard her say brightly, and I snapped my head up, only to find the most amazing sight in front of me.

It was Cora, leaning indifferently against the stone frame of the library entrance, her eyes the same clear turquoise as they always were when she was near me, and I hadn't completely screwed something up. Her hair fell loosely on her shoulders, and there were bruises on her hands, but they seemed to vanish as soon as my eyes set on them. Those pink lips of her were pulled into the same smirk that I had seen at Kings Cross, and her face was blushing beautifully. For once, she wasn't staring at me with hatred and she stepped forward, her hands crossed tightly in front of her.

"Hey, Aidan," she whispered gently, and I inclined my head, the tattoo on my arm burning a warning.

"I can feel that you're hurting. Please tell me what's happening," she begged and I nodded, seizing her hand and pulling into the corridor. Sighing deeply, I pulled up the sleeve of my black shirt and she gasped, her eyes darkening slightly.

"An Unbreakable," she muttered, and I thanked Merlin for her brilliance. I didn't deserve to be cared about by someone like her.

"Merlin, Aidan. What have you done?" she exclaimed, her thin arms wrapping around my waist as she pulled me into a tight hug, wafting the tantalizing scent of citrus and green apples into my nose.

"I'm sorry. So sorry," I mumbled into her hair and she nodded, not letting me go as she buried her face in my chest. I felt as though my heart would explode with joy.

"Me too. Can you forgive me?" she breathed and I chuckled, ruffling her hair playfully.

"I forgave you too long ago to remember," I assured her and she shot me a teary smile, squeezing my hand. Silently, we walked the corridors, barely paying attention to the fact that time was passing rapidly, content to just be in each others presence.

"That day on the Pitch, you said you were fighting for me. What did you mean?" I asked tentatively, and she froze, her eyes turning glacial and icy. I felt her hand sparkle with electricity, but I didn't dare pull away. _If I let go, she'll disappear and this will have been a dream._

"It doesn't matter, really," she muttered, leaning against my arm, and I felt an unknown emotion possess me. I felt indifference, but also intense curiosity and worry.

"Cora, trying to subdue my emotions won't help," I stopped, and stared at her, though her eyes refused to meet mine. "I can help," I assured her, and she let out a bitter laugh.

"No, you can't! The very fact that you're standing here, with me, is putting you in danger. You didn't hear Jo, but I will wind up killing those I love because I will protect them," she exclaimed, her eyes turning a violent blue-gray that I associated with storms.

"So don't protect me," I answered simply and a bolt of lighting struck one of the windows, originating from our conjoined hands.

"I wish it were that simple. See, I've seen what will happen if I don't protect you, but I can't help but wonder if it was warning me not to protect you. And even if it did, my heart won't let me leave you alone. Trust me, I've tried," she sighed, sliding down the wall as though the weight of the world at just become a lot heavier. I kneeled beside her and forced her chin up, so her cerulean depths peered straight into my moss-like orbs.

"I can take care of myself, Cora. But seeing how much I'd hurt you was torture. I don't care if we don't even talk, but I need to be near you. We'll be friends for now," I said softly and she looked at me doe-eyed. I prayed to Merlin that she would simply decline my offer and snog me senseless right there, but she had more sense than that. Though I wished she didn't.

"Friends it is," she breathed softly and I grinned mischievously, poking her where I knew she was ticklish, at a spot right below her ribs. She laughed histerically, her face turning a bright red as she collapsed back against my shoulder, breathing deeply.

"Cora, whatever you're doing, please be careful," I pleaded and she turned to me, her eyebrow raised as her eyes ran over my worried face.

Gently, she leaned forward until we were only a hair's breadth apart, and I could smell the warm scent of chocolate that lingered on her. Smiling, she placed a hand on the side of my face and I gasped loudly, as my mind was attacked with an onslaught of visions: explanation to every question I could have asked. I saw her meeting with Skye, the sacrifices she had made to save Aves and finally, a room filled with paintings and Pensieves. The Cora in my head smiled at the memory of her sticking her head in the painting and seeing my face, though I never remembered myself being that cheerful.

The visions disappeared and my eyes regained their use, as I saw Cora in front of me, her eyes wet with tears. A pale, delicate hand swept aside my hair and she closed the bridge between us, her lips pressing firmly against mine.

The sensation sent me into an adrenaline rush, my taste buds suddenly working into overdrive as I moved my lips rapidly against hers, tasting the inevitable chocolate taste that was as pure as the soul of the girl that I loved. She responded with enthusiasm, and I ignored the roars of protest and logic in my head as her perfect lips worked furiously. Tentatively, my tongue darted out and brushed across her bitten and torn bottom lip and she pulled away, breathing heavily.

"This is bad," she gasped, pushing herself away and standing up hurriedly, smoothing her robes and fixing her tie.

"Your eyes are a dead give-away," I pointed out and she blushed, not noticing that her eyes had turned an impossibly beautiful violet-blue, revealing her true emotions.

"Bye, Aidan," she said sharply, leaving me alone in the corridor, confused and frustrated.

_Is this going to happen every time?_

**A/N: So, how'd I do? I know the chapter was short and fluffy, but it's the reconciliation, even if Cora cut it off at the end. And yes, Jo is pregnant. I know that means I now have 2 pregnant people, but that's because they both add to the plot, explaining a LOT. I received a question last chapter, regarding the...conception of Cora and lex's new baby brother. First of all, SERIOUSLY.? Who the heck thinks of the technicalities? Anyways, yes obviously they had sex, or she wouldn't be pregnant. And since Vlad is the leader of a vampiric colony, he basically has a lifeline to all of them, so their consumption of blood sates his hunger. In my universe, the leader of a vampire clan is like a honeybee queen, the members all work to serve him/her. Because of that, he sates his need for human blood completely, but because vampires are humanoid beings, they still need to eat, and people of vampiric origin just prefer meat, which Vlad eats raw or very undercooked. Understand? Basically, his hunger is sated as long as the colony finds food. Which it obviously was, considering that cora's mum isn't dead. Awkward question, but I suppose it makes sense. And aerie doesn't grow a tail unless she's underwater and completely devoid of oxygen, very mad, or as we later learn, she can control her metamorphosing. Please leave a review, hugs and flames are welcome. By the way, I'm debating whether to call the fans of this story newids or paraxenes. What do you guys think? **


	44. A Traitor in our Midst

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the delay, but Monday and Tuesday were hectic. AND I HAD MY BRTHDAY! So exciting, I know. First of all, I'd like to apologize to any fervent Lia/Zach shippers or Zach fangirls. This will not be a happy chapter for y'all. Secondly, as per request, all fans of this fanfic are now to be referred to as Paraxenes-Congrats! Just don't go insane and tattoo the words on your arm-people might not get it. And lastly, since Aerie is an Irish character, she speaks a mixture of English and Irish brogue, so for any weird expressions, I'll translate them at the bottom. A huge thanks to the Elves, clairwe, Anonymous(I'm guessing this is Annika), Eternity'sEmbrace aka HideAmongTheAshes, and im-the-doctor for reviewing. This chapter is for my family, and my best friends: Morgane, Leanna, Justin and Skye. Thank you guys so much, for everything!**

**Suggested Soundtrack: Lies of the Beautiful People-Sixx AM**

Lia's POV

The next week passed slowly, Zach becoming worse and worse whenever he was around other people. Ever since that day in the library, he had been avoiding me, never staying in the same room. Sighing, I pulled myself out of bed, only to be greeted by the oddest picture in the world: Jordan was on her bed, crying profusely.

"Jordan?" I asked, my voice muffled by fatigue. She looked up and rubbed the tears from her red-rimmed eyes, attempting to flip back her ice-blond hair, but failing as it fell over her face.

"What do you want, Munroe?" she replied scathingly and I stood up, walking over to her bed and sitting beside her.

"Many things. But for one, knowing what's wrong will do," I said sweetly and she laughed, shaking her head.

"Sometimes you can be just as cocky as Iz, you know that?" she commented and I shrugged nonchalantly.

"We're Slytherins, aren't we? But honestly, Jordan, what's wrong?" I asked and her grin faded. Sniffing loudly, she stood up and began pacing around nervously.

"It's Iz, mainly. She's acting...weird," Jordan mumbled, as though she was afraid of admitting it. "Shit, I shouldn't tell you this."

"Your secret is safe with me. What's weird?" I asked and Jordan glanced at me fearfully.

"Don't tell her I told you. She's been disappearing in the night, and she keeps going away to talk to people. Yesterday, I saw her following Zach," she admitted and I blanched. I hadn't seen Zach at dinner last night.

"Where is she?" I asked and Jordan shrugged, clutching her arm and wincing.

"You okay?" I muttered and she shook her head, pulling back the sleeve of her violet cashmere sweater. Her arm was just as pale as her face, expect for a dark red scar near her wrist. It was a jaggedly drawn fleur-de-lis, the symbol of purity.

"Holy crap. What is that?" I gasped and she looked at me, ashamed. I placed my tiny hand on her thin arm and she shuddered at my body heat. Her arm was cold, as though she had gone outside without a coat.

"What I've shown you is a symbol of my enslavement. I've become a Morte Noire, Lee," she shook her head mournfully.

"A Morte Noire? What's that?" I asked and she bit her lip, and I noticed a drop of blood leaking from the scar.

"I can't tell you. Just by showing you, I've become a traitor. But you're part of that group, Cassandra's Army. I'm your enemy, and sorry to be so. However, I can tell you that you must be careful, there is a traitor in your midst. The Mistress is ruthless, and her forces are only growing. Be careful," Jordan warned, and she clutched her arm in pain, running out of the dormitory.

"Oh no. ZACH!" I exclaimed, slipping into a pair of black jeans and a green long-sleeve shirt. I ran out of the dorm, and into the Common Room, where Isabella was laughing with her cronies.

"What have you done?" I spat and she sneered evilly, throwing back her braids.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied haughtily and I pushed her away, running to the boys' dorm and throwing the door open. Alec was lying across his bed, his mouth wide open as he shored loudly. His head was falling off the edge, and I ran further, where I knew I could find Aidan. Indeed, he was sleeping soundly on his bed, not making s noise as he lay perfectly still.

"Aidan! Merlin, Aidan, wake the bloody hell up!" I yelled and he opened his eyes sleepily, groaning loudly. Glancing at me, he pulled his pillow over his head.

"Not now, Lia. I'm tired," he muttered, and I yanked the pillow from his grip, whacking him repeatedly over the head.

"I don't give a damn, Aidan. Where is Zach?" I yelled and he sat up, his straw-colored hair wildly tousled.

"Lia, he didn't come back last night. I don't know where he is," Aidan muttered, half-asleep, and my breath caught in my throat as I staggered back, falling on his bed. The tears began rolling from my eyes. Suddenly, I felt warm arms around me and I snuggled into Aidan's consoling arms, shaking slightly. I was terrified, and for once, I wasn't afraid to show it.

"Shh, I'm sure he's fine," Aidan whispered and I shook my head, pushing him away.

"Jordan saw him with Isabella last. Aidan, I can't lose him. I-I think I love him," I stammered, my eyes wide at the confession I had made. But it was true. Aidan's eyes softened and he smiled at my expression, wiping away a stray tear.

"Amazing isn't it? That feeling," he commented and I nodded vigorously, a ridiculous smile lighting my features.

"It's like nothing else matters. Just him," I replied and he looked away, letting his tousled hair fall over his eyes. I suddenly realized that this was how he must feel every single time Cora was mentioned, and I wrapped my thin arm around his waist, squeezing lightly.

"Then you already know what to do," he said softly and I retracted my arm, standing up shakily.

"I need to find him," I replied determinedly and Aidan smiled, nodding wisely. Forgetting everything else, I hastened out of the Dormitories and began running around the Castle, though I had no idea where I could find him. But my feet were leading me somewhere.

Finally, I reached an empty classroom, from which I heard a familiar voice. Tentatively, I opened the door and stepped inside, only to find Zach leaning against a desk, his hair messy as he sobbed restlessly.

"Zach?" I asked nervously, and he whirled around, his wand pointed at my head.

"Oh, it's you," he said bitterly, turning away and hiding his eyes behind his hair. For the first time since he arrived at Hogwarts, his face bore the same dangerous look as it had in Cape Town, when people were threatening me.

"Zach, what's wrong?" I mumbled and he turned towards me, the hate burning a hole through my heart.

"Take a wild guess, Munroe. You're not that thick," he spat and I glared at him. Never had he called me by my surname only. It was as though he'd driven an icicle through my chest.

"What the fuck is the matter with you?" I inquired and he laughed cruelly, his dark eyes flashing.

"Oh, I don't know, Lia. Maybe it's the fact that we could all die any second, and none of us could do anything about it. Or perhaps it's the undeniable fact that you care more about a stranger than you do for me. It's always Harry this, or Harry that," Zach spat and I recoiled, my hand tightening around the curving handle of my wand.

"Harry is my brother," I replied, shocked at his aggression. He laughed spitefully, and I flinched. In all the time I had known him, I had never seen him like this.

"Rubbish. You've known him for a month," he sneered and I pinned him to the wall, my wand on his throat.

"You don't talk about my brother like that. He's ten times the man you are," I said venomously and he smirked, tossing back his hair to reveal his eyes.

"Isabella would disagree with you," he sneered and my heart plummeted.

"This isn't you. It can't be you," I said softly, more to myself than to him. With a rough shove, he pushed me away from him and I fell to the floor, hitting my head on the stone surface. I raised my hand to my head shakily and felt the hot blood pour from a cut on my temple.

"Fuck off. The last person I want to see is you," he waved me away, clutching his arm in a manner quite familiar to Jordan's, and I stood up, walking silently out of the door. There was only one person I could talk to right now, and she was in Gryffindor Tower, no doubt.

Cora's POV

The Gryffindor Tower was surprisingly empty, everyone being down in the Great Hall for breakfast. But I wasn't hungry, and I had decided to take the opportunity to read further into Morgana's texts. Though the book was written half in Runes and half in Olde English, the text seemed to just fall into my mind, just like any other Runic texts. That particular fact made me marvel at the power of my own mind, and I was proud of it, something I had never been before. Right now, I was delving into a more complex theory of Morgana's, one involving the center of all things: Iár.

_Although there are many worlds, each as different as the next, there is only one centre. Iár is the centre of all things, and the heart of our Universe. The only beings allowed to enter Iár are Newids, their pure minds the sole thing pure enough to not soil the magic that originates from the strange world. However, the exact nature of this world is unknown, as Newids only travel to this place in times of great, and they do not return. It is rumored that this world is like paradise, and that the Newid inhabiting it can have control of the entire world._

I shivered at the thought of that kind of power getting into the wrong hands. To be able to have control of everything in the Universe-Hell, not even I had that kind of power. I was having difficulty controlling my powers in my own world. A soft sigh behind me interrupted my thinking and I slammed the book shut, turning around violently, as my earbuds ripped out of my ears, the silence seeping into my senses and panicking me. Amber had recently given me free rein over her iPod, as her heavier taste in music provided the perfect distraction, completely overwhelming my senses. Furthermore, she had willingly become my guinea pig, allowing me to train and test all of my powers on her during the meetings of Cassandra's Army. I suspected that Skye had something to do with her sudden enthusiasm, but she made the ideal practice partner. Her lycanthropy made her less susceptible to injury, and I found that her easygoing nature made it easier for me to test the full extent of my abilities. To my utter amazement, I discovered that I could control emotions as well as her thoughts and actions, which had led to a moment of utter hilarity as I made her run over to Ian in a moment of passion and engulf him in a fiery kiss.

Behind me, I saw Will descend the stairs, his hair tousled unnaturally and an expression of pure bliss on his face. Closing my eyes, I sensed his aura tentatively and it was bloomin' content, not a worry in the world.

"Morning, Romeo," I joked and he smiled, collapsing on the couch beside me. With a shock, I realized that he was shirtless, and I couldn't help but give my former love interest a quick one-over, letting my eyes roam his chest absentmindedly. He was slim and lean, his abdomen not sculpted, but taut anyways, as though he did some sort of exercise, however rare it may be. He noticed my eyes and smirked casually, pulling a blanket up to his neck.

"Sorry," he muttered, embarrassed and I blushed tomato red, shaking my head.

"Dare I ask?" I inquired and he raised a pale eyebrow.

"About what?" he replied and I laughed, my messy curls bouncing around my face. He glanced at me oddly and shrugged, his eyes falling to the book by my side.

"Will, you are aware that you just came down the stairs shirtless, with your hair tangled for the first time ever. Needless to say, it looks fairly...dodgy," I said and he blushed wildly, stammering like mad.

"Bloody hell. No- I mean- we didn't," he stumbled, before groaning loudly and collapsing back on the pillows, screaming into a velvet throw cushion.

"Relax, casanova. I know you have morals. Although, they do seem to wane when you're around him," I grinned mischievously and he punched me solidly, tickling me in the ribs.

"Crap!" I laughed, between labored breathing and he chuckled, letting me go.

"How's the research going?" he asked, and I exhaled sharply, tucking my legs underneath me as I gazed at the fire, making it burn slower.

"Depends on what your definition of good is, really. I've learned a ton - Morgana was bloody brilliant, but the more I read, the more afraid I become. She keeps describing Newids as these all-powerful and fearless beings, and I'm not like that. I'm just...me," I admitted and he smiled sadly, adjusting his crooked glasses on his thin nose.

"Just you is all you need to be," he assured me and I smiled warmly, allowing myself a brief moment of piece, something I'd been hesitant to give myself, in fear of something horrible happening. His face shone like alabaster in the light of the fire and he looked like an angel. Justin was quite the lucky guy, and I was so happy for Will.

"Thank you," I mumbled and he nodded, standing up and stretching.

"Anytime. I'm going to go get dressed. I promised I'd meet Justin for breakfast," he winked and I laughed as he practically sprinted up the stairs, an obvious grin on his face.

"Cora?" I heard a soft voice ask, and I turned towards the Portrait Hole, to see a very distressed Lia. Her green eyes were pink, as though she had been crying and her aura radiated negative energy that seemed to darken the entire room, overwhelming the bliss that Will had created. Gasping, I saw the cut on her temple and jumped up, running towards her as she fainted, her face pale from the loss of blood. I scooped her curvy and petite figure into my arms and laid her gently on the sofa, taking calming breaths as I hovered my hands above her head. My powers told me she had lost a lot of blood, but they healed the wound quickly, and she sat up shakily, leaning against the pillows.

"What happened?" I asked and she shook her head, wiping the tears from her face.

"I don't suppose you could help? I need you to rein in my emotions for me," she pleaded, dropping her shield, and my face blanched. Emote powers were exceedingly difficult to control, especially those as erratic as grief or love, both of which I had sensed in her aura.

"Lee, I don't want to mess you up any further," I began but she cut me off with a sharp look, reminding me so much of her brother.

"I doubt you could. Please," she begged and I bit my lip sharply, allowing the blood to flow from her wound. Finally, I nodded and cleared my head, delving into her emotions. They were spasmodic at first, trying to evade my control but I steadied myself on a stable emotion of my own: determination. Reigning in her wild moods, I calmed her down considerably, until her aura had become a shade of periwinkle. Tentatively, I retracted my powers from her mind and she breathed deeply, nodding.

"Thank you," she whispered, and I exhaled sharply, sitting on the couch beside her. Almost instinctually, she leaned against my shoulder and stared into the fire, the tear streaks on her cheeks gleaming.

"You're not going to tell me what happened, are you?"I asked and she curled up into an even smaller ball, if that were even possible. Sighing deeply, she hid her face behind her hair and let her tears flow freely over her lightly freckled cheeks.

"I can't, Cora. I'm sorry, but it hurts too much. But I need to warn you," she admitted and I nodded. Whatever this was, it tied to Zach, and I fully understood. The only people who talked to me about Aidan were Aves and Will, and that was because they read me like a book. But I would kill that prat the next time he showed his face. Lia looked torn apart from the inside out.

"About what?" I asked and she pulled out of my grip, her lime eyes flashing in worry. I felt the blood leave my face-Lia didn't get scared. The last time I had seen her like this, she had gone on a murderous rampage against the people who dared threaten her brother. Merlin help the people who messed with her, she was fiercely protective. How she wound up to be a Slytherin was beyond me.

"Don't ask me how I know this. But we need to call a meeting," she stated bluntly, standing up and walking towards the Portrait Hole.

"Why?" I asked and she turned on her heel, a grave expression on her soft features. Suddenly, Will bounded down the stairs, but stopped abruptly when he saw the look on Lee's face. Ignoring him, she turned to me and frowned as Will kept his crystalline orbs fixated on my expression.

"There's a spy for the enemy in our army," she said solemnly, and Will gasped, as I stood up sharply, my hands trembling in rage. How could I have forgotten such a thing? We should have set up procedures...SHIT! I had just placed everyone's life in danger, and for what?

"Who?" I spat and she winced, while my mind registered that my eyes must be. Black at this point, if not very dark. The bookshelves began rattling and I felt Will's hand on me, which I shook off as Lia looked down, the shame apparent on her features.

"I can't be sure...but I think it's Zach," she mumbled and I stormed out of the dormitory and into the corridors, with only one thing in my mind: revenge.

Aves' POV

The Great Hall was buzzing brightly, everyone excited for the weekend. It was a beautiful Saturday, even if the temperature was a bit frigid, but I had never minded cold much. Without a doubt, I planned to visit Ariana tonight, as Aethelraed had told me she was growing more and more nervous. Most likely, she sensed the growing tension I was facing, ever since Skye's visit. I would never admit this, but I had never quite fully appreciated the gravity of the situation until she had told us of the battle in her world. It had scared me quite profoundly, but it had only pushed me to fight even more.

The door opened and Alec walked in, his eyes focused firmly on the ground as Aidan walked beside him, seemingly pleading. Ever since that incident during Professor Andersonn's dueling lessons, he had pointedly avoided me. Aidan had assured me that it was only out of fear, but that didn't make it any easier. I needed Alec.

"He'll come around," Aerie said softly, and I nodded, as she turned back to her plate of kipper. Glum, I turned back to my own plate, but not even fried chicken and waffles appealed to now.

"Aves?" I heard, and a cold chill passed through me as the familiar voice placed his hand on my arm. Whirling around, I slapped Seth through his face and stood up violently, spilling my pumpkin juice all over Aerie's plate of kipper.

"YOU!" I shrieked and he smiled weakly, wincing as I punched through his stomach repeatedly, punctuating my words with a blow.

"Feck! Yeh've gotta be coddin' me!" Aerie groaned, her lilt returning rapidly now that she had returned to England. Shaking her head, she turned around and stopped in her tracks as she glanced at Seth, whose face fogged up, indicating a violent blush.

"Where. Have. You. Been? I. Almost. Died! Cora. Needed. You!" I shrieked and Aerie clamped my hands behind my back while I writhed against her rock-solid grip.

"Relax, Aves. People are staring," she muttered and I squirmed further while Seth smiled gratefully at her.

"Thanks. I'd drop you my hand, but you seem otherwise occupied," he ranked her and she gasped, affronted, letting go of my hands.

"You filthy pervert! How dare you!" she yelled and I attacked him again, punching every inch of air that he consisted of.

"What did I say?" he gasped, as I punched him through the head and she stormed out, pushing the doors open violently.

"Go away, Seth. I'll talk to you later," I spat, and he shook his head, floating into Aeries's now-empty seat.

"She was pretty," he commented and I rolled my eyes, seizing another drumstick.

"Testosterone is the plague of the world," I added and he glared at me while Bex giggled, sketching on her pad like mad, her hair turning her favorite neon-purple.

"Shut up," he replied and I shrugged, digging into my food with renewed fervor.

"Just don't leave again. I missed you," I admitted and he smiled, patting my head.

"Sorry, little elf," he apologized, and I heard a loud bang from the front of the hall. Cora had just walked in, her face practically screaming bloody murder. Wordlessly, I shot Bex and Skye and meaningful look and they stood up, whispering to other members of the CA in passing. We left casually, so as not to arouse suspicion, and I made my way with Bex to the seventh floor, where I found Aerie leaning against the wall, looking like she wanted to kill.

"You okay?" I asked and she laughed bitterly, her eyes flashing a bloody yellow and her hair flailing.

"Yer coddin' me, right? After what yer little friend just said to me?" she sneered and I raised an eyebrow hesitantly, shrugging my pointy shoulders.

"I don't speak Irish, Aer. What'd he say?" I asked and she snorted in derision, pulling me away.

"Droppin' yer hand is a really foul way of saying wanking off someone," she explained and I laughed loudly at the look on her face. She looked affronted, but laughed along anyways, as I panted.

"Aerie, Seth is a ghost who lived 50 years ago. In his time, it probably had no innuendo whatsoever. He's no perv," I assured her and she grinned like a chesire cat, her eyes returning back to green.

"Cool. But he's cute," she commented and I rolled my eyes as she opened the door to the Room and walked inside, a dreamy look in her eyes.

Cora, Lia and Will were standing in front of everyone, who was deathly quiet. She looked ready to collapse and Lee shot me a nervous smile, before clearing her throat loudly and looking pointedly at Cora.

"We've had a warning of a traitor inside this Army. The source of this information does not matter, but whoever has betrayed us has put everyone in danger. According to the tip, the person will have a permanent mark on their arm," Cora announced, and the group erupted in panicked talking. Alec looked up at Cora with flashing eyes, then turned to me, his expression pained with worry.

"Hey! Calm down! You were all warned about something like this possibly happening. Please just line up, and allow Cora, Lia and I to check for the mark," Will yelled, and everyone began shuffling forward, forming a line and glancing around, as though they could pinpoint the spy themselves. With a shock, I noticed that Zach looked especially nervous, not meeting anyone's eye. Ignoring his formerly cold demeanor, I stepped into the line beside Alec and seized his hand in mine. He smiled and looked down at me warmly, his eyes a warm plethora of emotion. Aerie stepped beside me and shook her head in exasperation.

"Bout time ya two got together again. I was gettin' worried," she smirked and Alec chuckled, smiling kindly at her.

Without hesitation, Cora stepped forward and began inspecting people, pulling their sleeves to check for the mark on her arm. Lia and Will did the same, inspecting each and every member. Finally, Lia reached me and smiled sadly, as I pulled back my sleeves, to reveal my pale arms, still scarred from what Rhain had done to me over Christmas Break. Alec winced at the sight and Aerie blanched, realizing what those scars meant.

"Thanks," Lee muttered, moving on to Alec, who showed her his arms hurriedly. When she saw that they were clean, the entire room let out a collective sigh, and his face turned stony.

"Stop it! Just because he's her brother, doesn't mean he's anything like her! Stop treating him like that!" I yelled and Cora looked at me sympathetically, before turning back to her expression.

"You too?" I exclaimed, and her face flushed, as she examined Chase's arm closely, before deeming it fine, and moving on to Zach, who stood solid, his eyes diverted to the ground. Lia froze, as well as Will, and the entire group crowded around Cora and Zach. Zach was the last person left.

With a slow, calculating motion, Cora pulled back his right sleeve and let out a slow breath as the flesh was revealed, bearing no scars of any shape. Alec, however, pulled me to him, and I let my tiny figure melt into his tall one, as his arms wrapped around my waist protectively.

Slowly, Cora pulled up his other sleeve and the room gasped collectively at the sight that befell us.

**A/N: How'd I do? I know you hate me for the cliffie, but the new chapter should be up soon, with a full explanation. Here's the Aerie Dictionary:**

**You've got to be coddin' me!- You've got to be kidding me.**

**And just for clarification, when Seth said drop you my hand, he really meant shake her hand, not the other, perverted translation. But in Irish brogue, apparently it is VERY perverted. Furthermore, yes, Jordan has been recruited. The fleur-de-lis is a symbol of purity, not meant to insult anyone of French origin. However, it is ANOTHER clue towards the identity of the Mistress. Well done to those who have figured out at least half, if not all, of her identity. But no one will figure out who the traitor is, I'm sure. It would seriously suck if you did. Please leave a review, flames and hugs are welcome! Virtual crème brulee to anyone who reviews!**


	45. Heartbreak Warfare

**A/N: Hey, my loyal Paraxenes. I apologize for the long wait, and for leaving you hanging with that cliffie. All though, that was indeed the point. But I meant to post this chapter sooner, and I got held up. Anyways, here's the answer to all your questions: What is Zach hiding, and is he really a girl? Which he isn't, by the way. My mind isn't that to my patient reviewrs: the Elves, clairwe, weirdgiraffe and Eternity'sEmbrace(some people might think that that username would have been wrong….yeah). A warning to those of you light-hearted folks: this is a dark chapter, and I give you this warning because I honestly don't want to be responsible for any bad reaction or thoughts. Zach isn't a perfect character, by far. And I apologize if he seems a bit unrealistic in the end. But it was hard to write from his POV, considering I'm all happy. This chapter is for Justin, for Susan, for Emily and for Skye. **

**Suggested Soundtrack: 45 by Shinedown**

Lia's POV

My heart plummeted through my stomach and into the floor as my eyes met the darkly tanned skin of his arm. It bore countless cuts, some crusted over and healing, but some seemed more recent, the blood still trickling from the wounds. They were jagged and crooked, done through Muggle means, not by magic. The last thing I noticed was the inane similarity of the cuts. Each of them seemed to be inflicted by the same person, and my mind screamed for vengeance.

"Happy?" Zach muttered, wrenching his arm from Cora's steel grip and staking away, his face hidden beneath the shadow that his tousled hair created.

"That was anticlimactic," Annika said absently, turning a page in the book she had pulled off the shelf. I glared at her and stepped forward, my wand at her neck. She seemed unperturbed at the gesture, and merely ran her hand over the print of the text, the words seemingly absorbing into her hands.

"Don't you dare. You don't know who hurt him," I threatened and her eyes widened, the brown irises threatening to drown me. Steadfast, I swallowed my fear and held my wand at her throat, where I could see her vein pulsing calmly.

"Of course I do," she replied, and I pushed her away with an angry shield, screaming obscenities in Afrikaans. The only person who could help me now was Zach, and I knew that, but he was the one hurting. What was happening to me? Since when did I need someone to rely on?

"Lia, please," Cora urged, wrapping her arms around me and lulling me into a state of sickly calm. Not even the most powerful emotes could create true emotion-they simply overwrote other emotions to manipulate people into a false emotion.

"No, let me go! I'm going to kill them! Why?" I exclaimed and I collapsed against Cora, my body racking with sobs.

"Lee, didn't you see?" she murmured against my ear, and I tried to reply, but it came out as a croak, making me weep even further. I hadn't known that I was able to cry this much.

"Those cuts. Lia, they're self-inflicted," she whispered and I froze, turning into a statue as the words sunk in. Zach had done that to HIMSELF? Why?

There was the muted sound of voices, but I couldn't make out anything, my ears buzzing with regret and sadness. I felt Cora pull away, and a pair of stronger arms replace hers. My figure was lifted gently, but my eyes were so puffed from crying that I didn't know who it was until they began speaking.

"Black Widow?" Zach asked nervously, and I shook my head furiously, the crying tearlessly, my body shaking violently. He had done that to himself, and I hadn't noticed. What kind of a person was I?

"Lia, please look at me," he begged, and his voice was trembling. Biting my lips, I opened my arms and saw his face, pleading and honest. Suddenly, a vision of him in that classroom came back to me and I shoved him away, falling on the hard floor.

"Don't you touch me, poepol! Bly die fok weg!" I yelled and he winced, even his poor Afrikaans enabling him to understand my words.

"You hurt me, Zach! And you laughed in my face. But I can't help but weep, thinking that this is my fault," I retorted and he flinched obviously, before I saw his eyes darken menacingly, the heavy velvet curtains behind him catching fire, making him look like the Devil's Angel. He was beautiful, but terrifying.

"It is your fault! Damn it, Lee, you really ARE that thick!" he yelled and everyone in the room exchanged a brief look, backing away as the clashing of our powers caused the room to change shape, looking now more like a dueling chamber than anything else.

"So what if I am, Zach? I was under the impression that you loved me," I admitted, the pain stabbing through my chest and ripping it to pieces as he pulled out his wand, blowing up a table in anger.

"How ironic, so was I. But look at us, Lee. We can't agree on anything. Even a bloody magicked Room sees that," he laughed, as the ceiling darkened. Sensing the danger, Cora tried to intervene, but I blew her away. I needed to take care of this.

"Who cares?" I screamed at him, throwing an impulsive jinx his way, which he blocked deftly, making it rebound into the floor.

"I DO! Fuck it, Lia, do you have any idea what my mind is like right now? Truthfully, I didn't choose Slytherin because of you. I know you don't see it, but I'm a coward. And all of this," he exclaimed, gesturing to Cora and the rest of the CA, "this makes me panic. At Cape Town Academy, I could protect you, but here you've been nearly killed several times, and I couldn't do anything. So, yes, I cut myself. But I cut myself so I could feel the pain take over my senses. Because when I cut, I couldn't think about the war. I couldn't think about the fact that it might ruin you," he cried, shooting jinxes from his wand, which simply rebounded off my shield, creating a smog of smoke. After it cleared, I saw Zach leaning against the wall, looking defeated as tears rolled down his cheeks and his hair clung to his sweaty face. Slowly, I stepped forward, pocketing my wand, but not removing my hand from the hilt. The Room was eerily quiet in anticipation as I kneeled beside him, wiping his tears from his face with my smudging handkerchief, leaving streaks of lead residue.

"Lia, please. What we had was a spark, nothing more," he insisted and I shook my head, gripping his hand in mine, smiling at his stubbornness.

"Sometimes a spark is all you need," I replied sagely and he chuckled, before turning his head to mine and tilting it to the side, looking at me like a dragon observing its prey.

Suddenly, he smashed his lips against mine and kissed me heatedly, tangling his long fingers in my messy hair. He had never kissed me like this before: it was hungry and primal, like he needed my kiss to survive. His lips moved passionately and I felt his teeth gently bit my bottom lip, making me groan in the back of my throat. The noise, however, only seemed to encourage him, as I felt his tongue wipe my lip gently. I gasped, and he took the opportunity in hand, exploring his mouth with my tongue before I pulled away. His face was knowing and he smiled sadly, his eyes rimed with tears.

"See? A spark isn't enough," he blinked slowly, and placed his hand on my cheek, standing up and walking out the door, but not before turning to the rest of Cassandra's Army and clearing his throat.

"Consider what you have gotten yourselves into. At any moment, we could be attacked, and some of us will die. Think of those you love, and the danger you put them into by being here. I believe in what you're doing, Cora, but they deserve the full truth," he stated and Alec stepped forward, reluctantly pulling away from Aves' firm grip.

"We all know what we've gotten ourselves into, Huber. But, unlike you, we're a bit more concerned for the future of the world and the safety of those we love, rather than our own skins. Everyone here is prepared, so please spare us this danger crap. Just leave," he said sharply and Aves looked on the brink of tears as she looked at her boyfriend's firm face. Zach nodded sharply and shot me a look of regret before turning on his heel and leaving, his face as emotionless as it was before I had met him.

Shaking slightly, I stood up and leaned against the wall, my hand over my lips. Everyone's eyes were on me, and I pushed my tears down, nodding to signal that I would be fine. But I needed to see someone. And for that, I had to leave this world.

Thankfully, Cora stepped forward and cleared her throat, causing the members to gaze at their leader.

"Thank you guys for coming. Obviously, we haven't found the spy, so we will implement further security measures. Make a habit of asking your friends questions that only they would know the answer to. That way, we take care of any impostors under the Imperius Curse, Polyjuice Potion or glamour charms. You guys can go now, further meeting will be arranged by me," she said nervously, and the group filed out, shooting me sympathetic looks that I felt like jinxing off their faces.

"Tell Harry I said hi," she smiled, and I ran forward, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"How did you know?" I murmured and she looked away, before glancing at me with tears in her eyes.

"Because Lia, apart from Zach, you don't really talk to anyone here. And Harry, he's your family. He'd just know what to say," she said sadly and I frowned, feeling that my distanced and guarded nature had hurt her.

"So would you," I pointed out and she beamed, before shaking her head.

"Not in this situation. Matters of the heart are not my specialty. Remember Aidan?" she shrugged and I pulled her into a hug, breathing in her citrusy scent.

"Cora, Aidan's in love with you," I told her softly and she pulled away, smiling amiably.

"I know. I just don't know if it's love I feel for him," she answered me, walking out of the Room and giving me the privacy I needed. With a quick thought, I changed the Room to look like my old bedroom in Cape Town, one that I was afraid I'd never see again. But if it meant keeping my family alive, then so be it. Even if my father didn't deserve it.

With a sigh, I collapsed on the black and green covers of my bed and let my eyes close, ignoring the uncomfortable sensation of being pulled out of my self.

I landed roughly on the floor of the Gryffindor, in front of a very frazzled-looking Harry and Ron. I noticed they both had decided to grow out their hair, and even though it suited Harry's face, it made Ron look like a bloodhound and I bit back intense laughter.

"Harry!" I whispered and he turned around violently, knocking down a vial of ink as he saw me, sitting casually in the chair by the fireplace. His face bore burns and scratch marks and I panicked, the blood completely leaving my face.

"Oh, Merlin! What happened?" I practically yelled and Ron smirked at me, rolling his eyes.

"Hello to you too, Cee," he joked and I glared. Ever since that first time we had met, he had called me Cee, a name that I loathed. Harry joined me in the glare and he shrugged, looking in the fire.

"Doesn't really matter, Lee. You've missed a lot," he commented and I winced at the bittr tone in his voice.

"I know, and I'm so, so sorry. Things haven't been quite easy on my end either," I said softly and he nodded, shaking the messy bangs from his face.

"Sirius is in hiding. There's the Triwizard tournament at Hogwarts, and I'm a champion. The burns are from fighting a dragon, to get this," he explained, pointing to an egg, which rested between him and Ron.

"They made you fight a dragon? No wonder you look so upset," I gasped and Ron laughed, though it sounded sullen and bitter. Harry kept his eyes firmly focused on the fire, and I noticed how silent the Common Room was, almost as quiet as the Room had been earlier.

"That's not why we're upset," Harry admitted and Ron muttered darkly, his cerulean eyes flaring. He leaned back against the pillows, and I heard him grumbling about some French people and Hermione. With a sigh, Harry buried his head in his hands and glared into the fire.

"Hogwarts is hosting a ball. And we need," he shuddered, "dates." I held in a laugh at the dejected look on his face.

"Oh, honestly! If you both need dates, just ask someone!" I heard Hermione exclaim behind me, as she descended the stairs. "Hello, Lia!" she greeted brightly, and I noticed the slightly disappointed look on her face as she glanced at Ron, who was glaring at her darkly.

"Easy for you to say, you already have a date," he spat bitterly, and I turned to her. Hermione's face was flushed, as though he had brought up an uncomfortable subject, but she straightened up, her face proud and haughty.

"And a wonderful date he will be. At least he had the courage to ask," she replied arrogantly, though the pain in her eyes was undeniable.

"Well done, Hermione," I cheered, and she smiled, blushing a violent Gryffindor red.

"Come on, Harry. I'm sure that any girl would love to go the Ball with you," I urged and Ron chuckled darkly, earning him a look from Hermione.

"Merlin, Ronald. You must have the sensitivity of a blunt axe," Hermione mumbled, and I glanced at her knowingly. She smiled sadly and shrugged, burying her nose in an Arithmancy textbook.

"Don't worry, 'Mione. He's just mad that Fleur turned him down," Harry laughed, and I bit back my own laughter, at the look on Ron's face.

"I can't imagine why," I wondered sarcastically and Harry's smile faded as he looked back into the fire.

"Have you at least asked someone, Harry?" Hermione exclaimed and Harry nodded, before glancing my way.

"I asked Cho, but she's going with Cedric. And as to your comment, I'm not exactly the man of the year, Lee," he chuckled and I tilted my head to the side.

"I'm sorry, Harry, I didn't know. Hang on. Lia, why don't you go with him?" Hermione asked and Ron burst into raucous laughter, his face turning violet.

"You must be joking! She's his sister. But, you could help me out," he said hopefully and I raised an eyebrow. Harry turned his eyes to the floor and I stood up, shaking back my hair.

"I'd rather look a basilisk in the eye than go with you, Ronald. You're no more attractive than a bloodhound, and you smell ten times worse," I replied coldly and Hermione giggled softly, from behind the covers of her book.

"Lay off, Lee," Harry muttered, and I sat beside him, sighing dramatically.

"Well, I suppose if I must. Will you go to the Ball with me?" I asked and Harry looked up, his expression bright.

"Get off it. Don't offer what you can't deliver," Harry grumbled and I punched him in the shoulder.

"Ow! What in the name of Merlin's baggy trousers was that for?" he exclaimed and Hermione shot him an exasperated glance, nibbling on the end of her quill.

"I don't think she was joking, Harry," she pointed out and I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Really?" he asked and I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, you dolt, but if you're so offended by the idea, then-" I began but he cut me off by pulling me into a tight hug.

"No! That's not what I meant! I thought you were just playing me! Thank you so much!" he yelled and I allowed my head to lean against his shoulder. Immediately, I felt better, smelling his grassy scent, so unlike Zach's. Zach smelled like the beach, and vetkoek.

"I'm guessing I'll need a dress," I said, a frown on my face as I glanced at Hermione, who put her book down.

"I'm afraid so. As Harry's partner, you'll also have to dance with him in the opening song., along with the other champions. It's a traditional waltz," she explained and I groaned.

"Let's hope Skye was wrong," I muttered and Harry glanced at me quizzically.

"About what?" he asked and I grinned mischievously.

"You being a terrible dancer," I answered simply and he smiled sheepishly, blushing scarlet.

"Actually, she was spot-on. I'm a right menace," he laughed and I shook my head, frowning in thought.

"Well, I'm exhausted, so I'm just going to go. But thanks for being here, you have no idea how much that means to me," I said softly and he wrapped his arms around me in a soft, brotherly hug. For once, I felt invincible, untouchable.

"What happened?" he asked and I shook my head, feeling a tear slide down my cheek. How odd. I didn't think I had any of those left.

"Not much. Just guy troubles," I admitted and he stiffened, pulling away. He looked murderous, like that day at the shack.

"I'll kill the bastard," he swore and I chuckled, placing a kiss on his cheek.

"No need. I think Alec has that under control. When's the ball?" I asked and he smiled, pushing the hair from my face. With a frown, I realized that he had grown even taller, and I shook the hair back into my face.

"Tomorrow night. But please tie your hair back. My sister's too beautiful to hide her face like that," he whispered, and I blushed, ruffling his hair.

"Fine, but then you have to tame that nest you call hair," I snapped back and he smirked.

"You sound like Malfoy," he teased and I shook my head, grinning.

"Nope. I sound like Mum," I grinned, and I closed my eyes, floating back into my other self.

The room was dark, and I could only make out shadows of my former home. Quickly, my mind calculated about how much time I had left until the ball. Judging by the average amount of time that passed in Harry's world, I guessed that I had about one hour to get ready. Unfortunately, there was only one person who could help me in this situation. Blimey, I would never live this down.

I had to go ask Alexandreiana Dracul for help.

Zach's POV

I walked out of the Room, my entire body trembling with the gravity of what I had just done. The look on her face had said it all, really. Lia Munroe, the one girl I would forever love, had been hurt by me. By my actions and my words. Shit, if any other bastard had done to her what I had done, I would have murdered them on the spot.

But at least she was safe. At least that much.

I walked around the corridor wildly, finally collapsing in a dark alcove and letting the tears flow. Of course, her finding out about my cutting had not been part of the plan, but it seemed to work. Still, she would never know the truth about why I had cut. No, the Messenger had been too smart for that.

"Get up," I heard a cold voice snap and I recognized it immediately. How could I forget the voice that had been haunting me for the past weeks? In my dreams, in my waking hours, reminding me of my duty. Threatening me with the death of the one person I cared about. Shaking slightly, I stood up and gazed at the person across from me. The Messenger was a young woman, a member of the Morte Noire. Her identity was a mystery to me, as she placed constant glamour charms over herself, altering her appearance. Today, she had turned her hair a chestnut brown, and her eyes were a warm cinnamon. But she couldn't change her voice. Not enough.

"What do you want with me? I did my job, Lia has been deterred," I croaked and her plump lips slipped into an unreadable expression.

"So it was. You have done it well," she admitted and I laughed bitterly, pulling out my wand. This didn't go unnoticed, however, and she smiled slightly.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," she suggested and I ignored her, pushing her up against the wall. The flames burned brighter in their sconces, and I let my anger loose.

"You promised. Don't lay a hand on her, and tell your Mistress the same," I spat and she shrugged, cursing her way out of my grip.

"As you wish. She will not be harmed," the Messenger said simply and I nodded, as she shook her head.

"Love makes us do the craziest of things, Zach. She's better off without you," the girl whispered and I turned to her, my eyes darkened by the shadows that my flames were creating.

"As if I don't know that," I groaned and she walked away, leaving me in silence. Slowly, I pulled my bag towards my chest and opened it, pulling out the shard of glass I used to cut. Without so much as thinking, I pulled up my sleeve and dragged the sharp edges of the glass across the firm skin of my arm. The pain was heaven, opening its numbing arms to me, and allowing me to forget everything else. Around me, the world faded and all I saw was Lia's face, that day on the beach. Gritting my teeth, I stabbed my arm again, and the image faded, leaving me in complete darkness. I was nothing, just a pawn in a game that nobody controlled. No one would notice if I left, if I died. Before, I had Lia, and she had been enough to live for, to fight for. Now, my love would be her death sentence.

The tears began streaming from my eyes, and for once in my life I didn't stop them. My father had always told me that crying was a sign of weakness, and that purebloods such as us didn't have any weaknesses. Lia had changed that. She had changed everything.

With a quick cleaning charm, I cleared the blood and pulled down the sleeve of my shirt, walking down the hall. This time, I was greeted with glares and frightened looks, just like in Cape Town. Perfect, I can deal with fear.

Let them think I murdered someone, let them think I'm a monster. After all, I am one.

**A/N: How'd I do? I realize you Zach fangirls probably hate me now, but I had my reasons. Besides, the chapter wasn't all dark. Who am I kidding, it was depressing! And now Lia will have to find out first-hand how bad of a dancer Harry is! I'm crying for her already. The Ball will be included in the next chapter, as well as her humiliation at being forced into a dress by a fashion-obsessed half-vampire(cough-Lex-cough). If any of you have any ideas on scenes for any of our couples, especially your favorites, please mention them in your reviews. There's only so much inspiration a gay friend and romantic movies can offer… Please leave me a review, hugs and flames are most certainly welcome! I have another idea for a friendly challenge, though it may require quite a bit more research and imagination than the last. I find it fascinating to see how people see my characters. Honestly, I have a cast planned out for all of them. It's sad, I know, but it helps me describe them. **


	46. The Yule Ball

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait, my dear Paraxenes. But I have a fourteen-page chapter to make up for it. A lot of ideas went through this, and I was low on inspiration… But I finally saw the new Harry Potter. It was so AMAZING! I couldn't believe it, but Neville and Seamus were so cool! As well as Ron(sadly), Luna, Remus(I CRIED!), the twins and McGonagall. And then Filch at the end, with the broom, trying to clean up everything. McGonagall was so cool, though. "YES, BOOM!" I died when I heard that. And poor Snape..such a sad ending. Thanks to the Elves, weirdgiraffe and Eternity'sEmbrace for reviewing. You guys are amazing. This chapter is divided 2 ways. For Skye, who is a constant source of inspiration, and who deserves this more than anyone. And for Leanna, for putting up with me and my fluffiness. I know I can be annoying, just tell me next time. **

Aidan's POV

The Common Room was deathly silent as Zach entered, his face tortured, but his eyes expressionless. Wordlessly, he nodded at me and trudged into our dormitory.

"What a coward," Alec mumbled and Aves rubbed her eyes, trying desperately not to nod off. Finally, she checked the time and straightened up, enveloping me in a tight hug before shamelessly snogging Alec and standing up.

"I'm going to go see Ariana. Good night guys!" she waved brightly and exited the Common Room, her hair trailing behind her.

"Be careful," Alec yelled behind her, laughing as she didn't pay him any mind, simply shutting the Portrait Hole. His eyes glazed over and I smacked him upside the head, rolling my eyes.

"Git," he growled and I shrugged, blowing the ink on my parchment to help it dry.

"Where's Lee?" I wondered and Alec blanched, suddenly gaining renewed interest in his Potions textbook as he buried his nose in a distinctive Cora-like manner. Exhaling sharply, I made his textbook fly with a flick of my fingers and glared at him, my dark green eyes pinning him in his seat.

"I don't know, mate. But...she's going through a tough bit. Zach, well, he kind of blamed her for a lot of crap today. Right git, he was," Alec mumbled and I seized my wand from the table, running to the dormitory and throwing the door open, not particularly caring about the damage I may cause.

Zach was on his bed, rifling through a journal and tearing madly at some of the pages. He didn't seem aware that I had entered, that is, until I made the journal fly from his hands and pinned him to the wall, my wand poised at his throat.

"You foul bastard! What have you done?" I exclaimed and his eyes darkened, turning completely black.

"Let. Me. Go," he ordered, and my mind fogged up, as my arms let him go. Panting I backed up and found that I was frozen in place.

"I haven't seen Lia since this morning. Why on earth would you blame her for anything?" I spat and he hid his face, sitting on his bed.

"Because! I had to, don't you see?" he asked and the bonds on my limbs released, allowing me to move.

"NO I BLOODY WELL DON'T SEE! YOU ARE SUCH A COWARD!" I yelled and he continued to look, though I felt the heater in the center of the room burn slightly more than it did before. For the first time, I noticed that there was a knife on the edge of the bed and I gulped loudly, upon which he laughed bitterly.

"You're no better, Vestey. Just the sight of a knife on my bed makes you think I'm some sort of sick murderer. But when you saw Lia with her knife, you didn't think she was a psychopath," he sneered and I blasted him back with a stun, hitting his body against the damp wall.

"Lia has a heart, you sick arse. She'd never use someone's weaknesses against them, but you did it to her face. Now, tell me what you did, and I'll consider not killing you," I threatened and he slumped, too fatigued to fight anymore. My eyes traveled across his normally strong figure, and I saw that it had waned somehow, his bones sticking out in odd places. When I had cursed him, the sleeve of his left arm had ridden up, revealing scars and scratches that I recognized to be self-inflicted. My pride told me not to sink to his level, but to stay above him. Biting back my hubris, I kneeled beside him and took his arm roughly in my hand and began tapping at the wounds.

_"Coalesco," _I mumbled, and he looked at me, stunned, from beneath his matted hair. The wounds began healing, first crusting over then simply becoming pink scars that shone brightly against his tanned skin.

"Why didn't you come to me? We both know that you probably would have wound up transfiguring your arm into a raccoon instead of properly concealing these cuts," I asked, when I finished, leaning against my bed frame and making my wand float around the room aimlessly.

"That's true," Zach laughed, but then his face turned somber as he shrugged. "I figured you wouldn't help. We're Slytherins, Aidan. We don't exactly get all lovey-dovey like the Gryffindors. Why would you have helped me?" he mused, hiding his head in his hands. Furious, I stood up, and my wand flew back into my hand.

"My House does not define who I am, and it shouldn't define you either. Are you forgetting that you chose this house? You are just as much a Gryffindor as you are a Slytherin, which is beyond my comprehension. What kind of a coward are you?" I exclaimed and he wrung his hands madly, looking insane. Thinking quickly, I made the knife fly away, so he couldn't do anything irrational.

"Don't pretend like you understand what I did, Aidan! I had my reasons," he insisted and I shot a spell at the wall, leaving a scorch mark in its place.

"Then you'd better tell me. Why?" I asked again, my anger flaring dangerously, and he bit his lip, before nodding slowly and glancing at me nervously. The silence in the room was tangible as I continued to stand above him, my wand hanging uselessly by my side.

"They made me do it. I had to deter her, slow her down. She's a huge threat to the other side, and I'm her only weakness. Well, there's Harry, too, but he's safe, at least for now," Zach told me and I glared at him sharply, feeling small items such as quills float shakily.

"You helped the other side?" I asked, disgusted by the person sitting in front of me. Lia had loved this pathetic ass, but I just wanted to kill him. _Wait, why? Why would this matter to me?_

"They threatened me, Aidan. Please understand," he pleaded and I shook my head violently. Unconsciously, I waved my wand in anger, and the lights became immeasurably brighter, so I could see every detail on his face. I had never seen such bags under anyone's eyes, not even under Lia's or Cora's. It made him look ever more terrifying, but I felt pity, and was sickened by it.

"No. You destroyed her, Zach. To save your own bloody skin," I shook my head and he stood up angrily, pulling his purplish wand from his back pocket. His eyes darkened and it became much hotter, as the fire in the heater burned violently. I felt beads of sweat form on my forehead, and I suddenly cursed myself for choosing to wear a black sweater. The heat was unbearable.

"You pretentious, narrow-minded bastard! I didn't do it for my own skin, they threatened to kill HER! And it nearly killed me that I had to hurt her, hence the cuts. So I tried to hide them with spells, because I knew that her finding out would kill her as well. She cares too _fokken_ much! But once she found out, I had to let her go. I will never forgive myself, Aide," he said, his eyes burning with a fire.

"Why'd you blame her?" I asked simply and he tore at his hair, looking like a madman.

"I thought that maybe that would get her to hate me. I'm used to that, I can deal with it. It didn't work, so I did something worse," he admitted and my eyes flashed, a vase shattering as it flew toward him. He ducked to the side, but my wand met his face first.

"What?" I said dangerously, my voice trembling with the force of my rage.

"I pretended that I was jealous of Harry. You know how she is, and she told me that he was ten times the man I'd ever be. It was so true, but I couldn't tell her that. So I just laughed, and told her that Isabella didn't think so. She pieced the rest together," he replied and my fist swung around, quicker than I had thought, connecting with his long nose, making it break.

"Fok! You bleeding idiot!" he screamed, bending over in agony.

"Like you didn't deserve that, you bastard. Now get up, and let me fix it, before Lia sees you and kills me personally," I groaned, and he straightened up, his dark burgundy blood flowing freely from his nose. "_Episkey!"_

With a crack, his nose healed and I scourgified the blood from his face. Sighing, he sat back on the floor and I turned to him, only to find his eyes glued to mine, silently begging.

"Imagine if it were Cora who were threatened. Would you have done any different?" he whispered and I wrenched him from the ground by the collar of his shirt, making his dark brown eyes look into my green ones.

"Yes, I would have. I would have protected her, fought for her. Slytherins are not cowards, though we have weakness. We are proud, and we build walls so no one, NO ONE can ever hurt us, or those we love. We are cunning so that no one knows that we have weakness. What makes us different from Gryffindor, is not our unfortunate penchant for the darker arts, but the fact that we ostracize ourselves from our fears, rather than face them head-on, embracing them and fighting through them. It not only saves our own skin, but also the people around us, because when you love someone, you go through the pain they go through. If they hurt, you hurt. I don't know where you got that sick impression of the House that you chose, but we are not cowards. And if we were, no one would ever know, because cowardice is a weakness we never show. I'm warning you, Zach. Fix this," I spat, slamming the door behind me as I stormed out, collapsing on the couch beside Alec, who was reading through a Magical Law book like it was the most faced paced novel, his face entranced.

"Mate?" I asked, snapping my fingers in front of his face and his head snapped up violently, a grin on his lips, despite the distinct crick in his neck I had just heard.

"That's it! I found it!" he yelled, running out of the Common Room and I sighed, leaning back against the pillow. Shyly, Jordan sat next to me, flipping back her cornsilk hair and biting her plump lips.

"May I help you?" I asked furiously. I honestly wanted to be left alone, and the last person I needed to talk to was another of Iz's mindless cronies. Glancing around nervously, Jordan snatched up a piece of parchment and began scribbling furiously, the black ink splattering on her purple sweater. With wide eyes, I saw her blink back tears of pain as blood spots began leaking from her left arm, staining the fabric of her sweater, though she didn't pay it any mind. Finally, she clutched at it painfully and stopped writing, throwing the parchment to me and looking at me painfully, her blue eyes more penetrating than I had ever seen them before.

"Take this someplace safe, not here. Read it carefully, Aidan. It's too late for me," she whispered, before running into her dorm, no doubt to tend to her wound.

And then I was alone in the Common Room, with a piece of ink and blood-stained parchment in my hand, with no inkling as to what had just happened.

Lia's POV

"This is such a bad idea," I groaned, walking up to the Fat Lady. I had precisely one hour to somehow convince a bitchy vampire who hated my guts to give me a dress. Fok, I would never, EVER, be able to look her in the face again.

"Jabberwocky," I told the portrait, and the Fat Lady shrugged her shoulder, swinging the portrait open and allowing me to enter the Lion's Den- quite literally.

"Lee? Thank Merlin!" Amber exclaimed, running over and pulling me into a surprisingly tight hug. Amber and I were on speaking terms, but I had never gotten the impression that she wanted to be a friend of mine. _Your impressions are seriously messed up,_ my thoughts said bitterly, and I bit back another sob as I though of Zach.

"Gods above, Amber! I told you she'd be fine!" Cora exclaimed, though her face said differently, as her eyes continued to shift into a calmer blue.

"How'd you know I'd come here?" I asked and Lex stood up, shaking back her curls as she deposited her books on a table, a deep sigh escaping her pink lips.

"She didn't," Lex commented, and Jack rolled his eyes, though a smile passed over his face. "Which, of course, begs the question: why are you here? This is the _Gryffindor_ Common Room, after all," she said, an air of great significance as she glanced down at me.

"Stop it, Lexi. You saw what happened earlier," Will warned, his pale hair falling gracefully over his face.

"Yes, and I also realize that she put everyone in danger by bringing someone like him to a meeting," she replied and I paled, looking at the ground.

"Lexi, that's enough. He hurt her, don't make it worse," Jack said softly, and Lex huffed indignantly, collapsing on the floor next to him. Gently, Will stepped forward and brushed back the hair from my face, smiling kindly.

"Do you need a place to sleep for a while. The dormitories are full, but I have a sleeping bag I could loan you if you don't mind the couch," he offered and I shook my head, straightening up.

"Thanks, Will, but that's not why I came. Actually, I need her help," I admitted grudgingly and Lex snorted, looking up from a book. _Odd, she reads?_

"There are 3 girls in this room. Which one of us?" she asked, and I sighed deeply, biting the inside of my cheek. _This is for Harry!_

"You," I replied and she laughed, standing up to her full height and placing her thin hands on her hips.

"Say that again, slowly," Lex smirked and I blushed violently, before stepping forward, rage replacing my humiliation.

"Sod off, Dracul. My brother needs my help tonight, and therefore, I need your help. But stop treating me like the dirt on your shoe. I haven't done anything to you. As much as I understand the fact that you don't like me because I'm a Slytherin and because of Zach, but I think I was the one who was hurt by that, not you. Please just cut me some slack. It was hard enough coming up here to face you, because I knew that you'd be like this. All judgmental, when you have EVERYTHING. You have the money, the friends, and you have someone who loves you more than anything. That's a hell of a lot," I stated loudly and here expression softened slightly as she nodded, glancing at Jack. The entire Common Room was staring at me, most with tears in their eyes.

"I'm sorry. But I was so scared today," she mumbled and I smiled, placing a consoling hand on her shoulder.

"We all were. Now, normally I would have gone to Will for help, but he isn't the right gender for this," I admitted and Will pulled back, his face alarmed. Amber had turned a violent red, and she was trying desperately to cover up Ian's guffaws. Cora, on the other hand, just looked bemused, though the flush was telltale.

"Wait, why aren't I the right gender?" Will asked and I laughed at his annoyed expression.

"I was under the impression you didn't own a dress. But, I won't judge if you do. It's your deal, after all," I mumbled and everyone laughed, sighing in relief. "What?" I asked, confused by their relieved face.

"Lee, we thought you were going to have sex or something. And no, I don't own a dress. How stereotypical!" he exclaimed and I blanched, shaking my head furiously.

"No. God, no. It's just that...I kind of told Harry I'd be his date for the Yule Ball. I need a dress, some shoes, the works. Shit, I'm really beginning to regret this," I groaned and the guys laughed, standing up in unison.

"We'll leave Will and the girls to it then. Xander nicked some food and a Snitch, so we'll just go hang in the dormitory. Um, best of luck," Jack laughed, and Ian, Xander and the rest of the boys ran up the staircase, racing to see who'd get there first.

"Who takes charge of what?" Will asked and Lex bit her lip in thought, using a rubber band to tie up her wild hair behind her back.

"You and Amber take care of hair and makeup. Cora and I can take care of her dress and shoes," Lex detailed, pulling up her sleeves dramatically. Sighing, Amber and Cora walked over and shot me sympathetic looks: apparently they had been at the end of Lex's makeovers before.

"Why are you making this sound like it's going to be some huge battle?" I asked and Lex bit back a smirk, standing up from her chair.

"Lia, you don't wear much except for hoodies, t-shirts and ratty jeans. I don't have much to work with," she admitted and I shrugged my shoulders.

"Then you better get to it. I only have about 45 minutes left," I said and she helped, pulling me roughly up the stairs, everyone walking behind us. I had never seen their dormitory, but I could easily make out which bed belonged to whom. Amber's was no doubt the one to my right, with posters of insane bands on the wall, as well as a small picture of her with a tall man and another one of a seven year old boy. Cora's was by the window, sparsely decorated with countless books and several pictures of her mum. One was a picture that we had taken of Cassandra's Army, which she had charmed to change as more people joined, so that they could be in the picture as well. Every member had one of these pictures, and my heart throbbed as my eyes settled on the image of me smiling brightly at the camera, Zach's arm around my shoulders as he laughed boisterously. Finally, my eyes settled on Lex's bed, which was extraordinarily messy, littered with clothes and sketches of new outfit ideas. Her walls were relatively empty, except for one picture, that of her dad, a woman who was probably her mother, and a young blonde woman who reminded me of Hermione, with her knowing, sweet gaze.

"Did you have anything particular in mind?" Lex asked, walking over to her trunk.

"Not looking like an idiot," I replied and she laughed lightly, tapping her wand on the trunk three times and opening it gently.

"No one dressed by me looks like an idiot," she stated confidently, and I noticed that a warm glow was emanating from the trunk. I shot Cora a questioning look and she smiled, as if to say, _she's got a point there._

"Enter my Wonderland," Lex said grandly, and she descended INTO the trunk. With a gasp, I saw her head peek over the edge and look at me expectantly.

"Well, are you coming? I won't bite...much," she grinned wickedly and I smirked evilly, walking down the stairs in her trunk, gasping loudly at what was inside. It was a Room the size of the Common Room, filled with countless articles of designer clothing. As soon as Cora entered, she nodded at my expression and shook back her soft curls.

"Undetectable Extension Charm. It took several tries, but I finally got it to work. Amber and I were tired of our beds being used as closets," she laughed and Lex shot her a glare, before leading me to an aisle entirely dedicated to dresses. _How did one person have this much stuff? It's disgusting! I could feed entire countries with this money!_

"Everything here is old clothing recycled by Lex, and she uses magic to create new things," Cora murmured in my ear, sensing my discomfort. "Any clothing that doesn't fit, or that she doesn't like, she donates to others."

My respect instantly rose for the cold-blooded vampire, only to plummet to the floor as she pulled out a strapless pink ball gown, with rhinestones covering the bodice.

"What about this one?" she asked, and I suppressed a gag, as I shook my head violently.

"Nothing pink," I begged her and she pouted, putting the dress back on the hanger.

"Pink would be such a nice color..." she groaned and Cora laughed, looking at a selection of dark blue dresses. _This is my worst nightmare, it's official._

"This one?" Cora asked, pulling a flowy, ice-blue dress from the display, and Lex shook her head.

"It doesn't do anything for her figure. But that would look good on you..." the vampire mused, and I began rifling through a section myself, though each dress made me cringe. I hated dresses on principle, and I couldn't picture myself in any of these.

"Here!" Lex shouted, pulling a long, emerald green dress from the row. It was one shouldered, with intricate silver detailing that looked like snakes around my waist. But that wasn't what caught my attention, as much as the slit that would run from my feet to mid-thigh.

"Hell no. I don't think Harry would appreciate the Slytherin nuances, and that slit is not happening," I stated and Lex let out a frustrated sigh, putting it back on the rack.

"It can't be pink, it can't be flowy, no slits, no flowers, no rhinestones and now, no Slytherin nuances! You're killing my creativity!" she practically yelled, and I rolled my eyes. Suddenly, I noticed Cora had gone very quiet, staring at a dress at the end of the rack.

"This is it," she said firmly, and we turned to her expectantly, as she pulled the dress from the rack. _Thank you, Cora!_

It was probably the only dress in this entire place that I would actually consider wearing. The dress itself was a relatively simple halter, made out of shiny black satin, which flowed elegantly from below the sash. It had a deep v-neck, only further accentuated by a shiny black belt buckle, which held a gold sash, located right below my bust. I gulped audibly: I couldn't picture myself in this.

"I don't know..." I mumbled but Cora shook her head adamantly and handed me the dress, pointing to a curtained area with a firm hand.

"Trust me, Lee. Just try it on," she murmured, and I stepped behind the curtain to slip into the silky dress. Hesitantly, I stepped out, and Lex tied the straps behind my back. My breath caught as I realized that half of my back would be open, but I had no time to protest when Cora pulled up the zipper and turned the mirror towards me. I looked so weird, I thought it was a different person until I moved slightly, the mirror copying me exactly. The dress ended right above my knees, and I looked taller than I really was, my pale skin practically glowing from beneath the dark fabric.

"You look beautiful," Lex gasped and Cora nodded, smiling widely as she handed me a pair of strappy gold heels, and a pair of earring with small moons.

"Let's get you upstairs, Cinderella," Cora said softly, and Lex led me upstairs, muttering under her breath all the way. Once we entered the dormitory, Will chuckled and Amber forced me into the chair.

"Damp, Amber. And don't stain that dress," Will ordered, and my hair went damp. Spreading some cream onto his fingers, Will began arranging my hair, pulling it backwards and upwards. After several minutes of manipulating, he glanced at Lex and she nodded. He pulled my hair backwards, tying it into a slick, but low bun on the side of my head. Sighing, he tapped my hair with his wand and it dried instantly, as he turned me around.

"What about her makeup?" he asked nervously, and I heard someone draw in a sharp breath.

"As natural as possible, but dark around the eyes," Amber said, and I glanced at her questioningly. She shrugged and popped an earbud in her ear, jamming out to some tune. _Who would've guessed she was a closet makeup artist?_

Will nodded and began applying makeup with lightning fast speed and precision, before pulling away, a satisfied look on his face as he regarded me.

"Some of our best work, I'd say," he pointed out and Lex laughed in agreement, while Cora helped me out of the chair and in front of a mirror.

The girl in the glass couldn't be me-I'd never looked like this. Her skin shone like the moon from under the dark fabric and her eyes shone dangerously, as though she were about to attack you any second.

"Thank you," I said softly, and Lex rolled her eyes, smiling softly.

"You can thank me with details. Now, get going!" she urged and I looked around the room nervously, before Amber rolled her eyes and led me to her bed, sitting me up gently.

"We won't go anywhere, don't you worry," Cora murmured, sensing my nervousness. Nodding minutely, I closed my eyes and flew out of the room, landing in Harry's Dormitory.

"She's mental. I look like my Great-Aunt Muriel. Smell like her, too," Ron muttered, and I laughed loudly at the look on his face. His robes were moth-ridden, and the dodgiest brown I had ever seen. The collar was lined with lace and he stunk terribly, even if I was at least 6 feet away from him. He had apparently taken the bloodhound look to an entirely new level, with an extremely frilly bow around his neck.

"Who's there?" Ron asked, whirling around, and I realized that I must still be invisible. That suited me just fine-I wanted Harry to see me first. Shrugging, he turned back to the mirror and yelled over his shoulder, towards a door next to a red bed.

"Oi, Harry! Come out, mate! You're taking as much time as a girl!" he yelled and the door opened, Harry stepping our nervously. I had to stop myself from running to hug him, he looked so handsome! His hair was still as mussed up as usual, but I had expected that. Unlike Ron, he was dressed in black robes, with a silk vest on the inside, and a simple black bowtie. Ron looked at him, horrified.

"What are those?" he exclaimed, gesturing at Harry's outfit. My brother staggered back and shrugged.

"Dress robes! You're wearing some too!" Harry replied, a bit taken aback by his best friend's reaction.

"I'm not daft, Harry. But yours are all right!" he groaned, gesturing to the simple elegance of the black fabric that created Harry's robes.

"Well, I expect yours are a bit more...traditional," Harry offered kindly and I suppressed another bout of violent laughter at the outraged look on Ron's face.

"TRADITIONAL? They're ancient!" he objected, and the laughter slipped past my lips, fillings the awkward silence that had engulfed the room.

"Don't worry Ronald. They bring out the bloodhound in you," I sputtered and Harry snorted, as Ron turned around, rolling his eyes at my statement.

"Harry, please tell your sister to sod off," he muttered darkly and I laughed harder, supporting myself against the wall. Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair and glancing around the room.

"Lee, come out," he smiled and I shook my head before replying.

"No, my invisibility distresses dear Ronald too much. Plus, what would people think if you exited your dormitory with a girl at your side. It's quite dodgy, dear brother," I said reasonably and he grinned, stuffing his hands in his pockets, as Ron snickered silently.

"Why did you have to get stuck with the brains?" Harry muttered and I laughed lightly, before he turned serious and glanced at me nervously.

"Blimey, I forgot. You don't exist in this world," he exclaimed and Ron rolled his eyes, before grabbing his wand, turning to exit the room.

"I'll leave you guys alone for a bit. See you downstairs, Harry," the redhead sighed, and exited the dormitory.

"Relax, Harry. Cora and I figured out what my identity will be. My name will be Alesea Evans, and I'm a fourth-year Ravenclaw. Cora didn't think that you would appreciate if I'd be Slytherin," I explained and he laughed good-naturedly, before opening the door and walking out, allowing me to slip through. He seemed to sense my movements, even though I was still invisible.

"Ron didn't get a date, then?" I asked, noticing a sullen Ron by the fireplace. He was alone, and couldn't blame the terrified first-years that scurried past him.

"No, unfortunately he did. But I have a really bad feeling about it," Harry whispered and I giggled, as Ron got up and gestured wordlessly to the door.

"Let's hurry, shall we? I'm supposed to meet Hannah in front of the Great Hall," he sighed and we climbed out of the portrait, heading towards the Hall. The halls were crowded, filled with mingling couples that were all hurrying in the same direction. Once we reached the top of the staircase, I noticed Hermione, nervously hiding in a broom closet, twirling her hair between her fingers. Allowing Harry to go first, I stepped forward, and made myself appear discreetly, which failed, as I still managed to nearly send the girl into panic attack.

"Lee!" she practically yelled, before smiling widely as she perused my outfit.

"You'd better watch you back tonight. I know several guys who'd be more than happy to jump you. You look so pretty," she squealed and I rolled my eyes before my eyes fell on her, taking the breath from my body. I probably looked like a heap of garbage compared to her. She had chosen a pink silk dress, which darkened into a dark purple as it flowed down her figure. Somehow, she had managed to tame her bush of hair and it was in a high bun, with several curls descending elegantly down the back of her head.

"Ronald's eyes will burn in his sockets," I stated simply and her face turned sour as she thought of the insensitive redhead.

"Well, at least I brought an international Quidditch star as a date. That may be able to distract him," she spat, before breathing deeply and gesturing out the door. Smiling, I walked out briskly and decided to let her descend the stairs first, eager to see Ron's reaction. Willing myself invisible, I peeked around the wall as Hermione descended nervously, though her back was straight and a shy smile was on her lips. Once she reached the bottom, I noticed Ron's mouth drop openly as a burly male walked up to her and bowed, taking her hand gently in his. I immediately felt sorry for Ron's date, a pretty blonde with a sky-blue gown that complimented her soft features nicely. She reminded me slightly of Jordan, with good looks that were not very obvious. My hatred towards Ron boiled under my skin: he most definitely didn't deserve a date.

Sighing, I made myself visible and began descending the stairs, ignoring the gasps as people stared at me with open mouths. Harry was smiling brightly at me, and Ron looked ready to throttle someone as I smiled softly, feeling lighter than ever. At the bottom, Harry nearly stumbled over his own feet as he bowed to me slightly and I gripped his hand in mine reassuringly. The girl beside Ron stepped forward and extended her hand.

"Hello, I'm Hannah Abbott. Unfortunately, I don't think we've ever met," she admitted, blushing slightly and attempting to exchange a shy smile with Ron, who was too busy grimacing at where Hermione had stood.

"That's okay. I prefer keeping to myself anyways. My name is Alesea Evans, but call me Lee," I said kindly, shaking her hand before turning to her arse of a date and wrenching my hand from Harry's grip.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley, you look at me," I ordered and he rolled his eyes obviously, stepping forward. "This girl is your date, and you will treat her with respect. She may be too nice to admit it, but you're being a complete prat right now. Stop, or I'll hex off something important," I threatened and he blanched, as Hannah shot me a grateful smile, her baby blue eyes shining when Ron took her hand and led her into the Hall. Spinning me gracefully, Harry pulled me into a protective hug and placed a kiss on my forehead, a crooked grin on his scarred face.

"That's my little sis," he chuckled and I punched him slightly, before laughing myself as a tall teacher came running our way. Harry wasn't my big brother in terms of age, but he most certainly played the role to its fullest. Her hair was pulled into a tight bun and she reminded me of Prof. Taylor, her eyes glinting like she would not hesitate to place you in detention any second.

"Oh, Mr. Potter! There you are!" she exclaimed, and I glanced at Harry, before he shrugged, apparently as confused as I was.

"Good evening, Professor. What's wrong?" he asked and the teacher smoothed back her already slick bun, before glancing at me curiously.

"You and Ms.-," she trailed off, glancing at me nervously.

"Evans, ma'am. Alesea Evans," I said quickly, ignoring the look of surprise on the teacher's face. No doubt she had known Lily while in school.

"Charmed. Potter, you and Ms. Evans must make your way into the Great Hall for the opening dance. You shall open the evening for everyone," she instructed and Harry blanched, before nodding, making the teacher hurry off to find someone else.

"Evening, Potter. I can honestly say that I'm surprised you could find a date. Though, I did expect you and the bucktoothed Mudblood to go together, as charity cases. No doubt you drugged this one, or perhaps she simply has the worst taste in the history of mankind," a snide voice said behind us, and I felt Harry stiffen before turning around angrily.

"Malfoy," he acknowledged, not allowing the pale-haired boy to see me. I bit my lip in anger but pretended to smooth my dress calmly.

"What's the matter, Potter? Was my assumption correct? Is your date really so ugly that you have to hide her face from everyone?" he snickered, and Harry's grip around my hand tightened. Putting my best smile on my face, I turned slowly, allowing my dress to fan out elegantly. Once Malfoy set his eyes on me, he gulped audibly, and decide to ignore Harry entirely, focusing all of his efforts on me.

"Good evening, milady. I apologize for your travesty of a date. He must've confunded you. Whatever amount of money he paid you, I'd kindly refund, as well as the opportunity of enjoyment," Malfoy said silkily and I smiled kindly at his pug-faced date, who looked quite downtrodden, but pretty in her own way. Harry clenched his fist and I stepped forward, wanting to curse the wizard to next Sunday.

"Unfortunately, you seem to be under the wrong impression. See, Harry here didn't have to force me through any means. I don't know if you've noticed, but the girls in this school are scrambling for **him**. Jet black and messy is the new slicked back and blond, haven't you heard? I'm just lucky that he decided to go with me," I replied, smirking genially as Malfoy's smirk turned into a frown. _Gods, he's handsome when he does that...what? Snap out of it, Lia!_

"And, for future reference, you might want to actually pay attention to your dates, if you wish to successfully pull of the charming gentleman act. At least Harry knows how to properly pay attention to a lady," I added, and Harry straightened up, placing a careful hand around my waist. Automatically, Malfoy did the same with his date, and I found my eyes fixated on his icy grey-blue depths and the way his long finger curled around the pretty girl's waist.

"So you find me charming?" Malfoy smirked and I blushed deeply, trying to hide my embarrassment when Hermione stepped in tactfully, glaring at Malfoy.

"Harry, honestly. We need to be in front of the door for our entrance," she chastised and Malfoy laughed.

"Seriously, Granger? You couldn't find a date, so you decided to be Pothead's assistant. So much for brains," he sneered and I turned to him, pulling my wand out of the purse Cora had given me.

"Take it back, you sick ferret," I slat and Malfoy blanched, looking at the wand nervously.

"Relax, Lee. I'm used to it. But, for your information, Malfoy, I did manage to get a date. Not that it's any of your business, but Viktor Krum himself asked me while I was in the library. So I guess being a bookworm has its...perks," Hermione replied haughtily and we walked away, Harry looking between us like we were aliens.

"You have to tell me how you did that. I've been trying to get under Malfoy's skin for years," Harry begged and I laughed, clutching his arm as we lined up behind a tall boy and his gorgeous, Asian date. As soon as he saw her, Harry looked down and I patted his back.

"That's Cho, isn't it? Just ignore her," I urged and he nodded, before grinning my way.

"Too easy, Lee. No one will see her with you in the room," he smiled and I blushed violently, as he winked slightly. "It's no small wonder Malfoy was so affected by you. You're beautiful."

"Come off it, Harry. I may look okay, but I'm certainly not beautiful. As to Malfoy, he was affected because I used his own weapon against him. Think about it, Malfoy lashes out with his words, but he always has other people doing the dirty work for him. Have you heard the expression, _sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me? _It's not true, words are like knives: they can be deadly when placed in the right areas," I argued and Harry shook his head firmly.

"That may be true, Lee, but trust me when I say that you're glowing. I think I may have to fight off more than just Malfoy tonight," he growled, wrapping an arm around me protectively as we waited to be called inside.

"Thanks, big brother," I whispered, allowing myself to relax against his figure, as the bossy Professor ordered us to line up. Straightening up, I smoothed my dress and took Harry's arm, smiling when he decided to muss his hair even further. Slowly, a blonde girl and her date began moving forward, and we followed, being greeted by loud cheers and rousing music.

The Hall looked beautiful, decorated with falling snowflakes and ice sculptures. Walls were lined with tables or Christmas trees. The dance floor looked as though it were made of ice, and it glistened against the soft candlelight. Ron was staring sadly at Hermione, but his arm was around Hannah's waist, and she smiled brightly at me, waving eagerly. Malfoy glared at Harry, but tilted his head at me, as though he were studying something particularly difficult. Finally, my eyes settled on a tall teacher dressed in completely black robes. Snape looked absolutely furious to see me, his face flushing, before sweeping away, trying to hide the anger and pain in his eyes.

We reached the dance floor and Harry grimaced, taking my hand gently in his. Smiling at his more than obvious discomfort, I gripped it tightly, and guided his other hand to my waist. I noticed that despite my heels, he was still taller than me, and I looked around nervously. Everyone was staring at me with open mouths and I straightened up, grinning brightly. Quietly, the waltz began, and Harry began moving stiffly, attempting to dance.

"Just follow me, okay?" I whispered and he nodded, mortified by the fact that we were basically just standing in the middle of the floor. Loosening up, we began moving to the music in a fair manner, though he didn't fail in stepping on my toes several times.

I was deeply thankful when the music ended, and I hobbled off the dance floor, sitting at a table that Harry and the other champions shared. With a sigh of relief, I noticed that I would be seated next to Hermione, and I sat myself down, taking a sip of pumpkin juice. As I glanced over the crowd, my eyes landed again on Malfoy, who was staring at me curiously. Once he saw that I was staring as well, he smirked and winked coyly, making me stand haughtily. Unfortunately, I ran clumsily into a tall, burly teenager and his date, who seemed to have been talking to Harry.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked, his voice playful as I staggered back, only to be supported by Harry's arms around my waist. Smiling, I nodded and looked up. The boy was definitely older than Harry, with brown eyes and wickedly red hair, identical to Ron's. His was also grown to his shoulders, but it was arranged nicely, so that it framed his face with sharp waves. The glint in his eyes was similar to the one Xander always bore, and I realized that this must be either Fred or George Weasley.

"Whoa, Harry. I didn't realize you had it in you_!" _he exclaimed playfully, pointing in my direction, and I blushed, while his date punched him and smirked in my direction. She reminded me of Aves, with her short figure, elf-like features and sprinkling of freckles. Her dress was quite simple, strapless and scarlet red, flowing nicely to the floor. Though her face looked troubled, as though she knew more than she told, it was exceedingly pretty, her chestnut hair pinned up on one side, and the other descending to her shoulders in delicate curls.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, George," Harry replied, and I laughed lightly, as George looked affronted at Harry.

"Merlin, Harry. I was just going to come over here to offer you some help with your date. After all, Fred and I have been creating some interesting sweets, mainly as aphrodisiacs," he said innocently and the girl rolled her eyes.

"As much as I appreciate the offer, George, no thank you," Harry blushed violently, and led me away, as I laughed loudly.

"Bloody gits," he grumbled and I shook my head, glancing down as I felt Malfoy's eyes on my back.

"Loosen up, Harry. It's all good fun," I urged him and he grinned, tapping my hair. Glaring I turned towards the dance floor, where Ron and Hannah were dancing awkwardly, though she looked quite happy to be there. Hermione was laughing exuberantly, being whirled around effortlessly by her troll of a date. Honestly, I didn't know what she saw in him. Perhaps he was better on the inside than on the outside.

"Hey Harry!" a voice yelled, and I turned to see a sandy-haired boy walk over, his emerald robes making his eyes pop.

"Hi, Seamus," Harry greeted, as the boy smiled, sticking his hands in his pockets and winking at me conspiratorially. Harry immediately tightened his grip around my waist and I rolled my eyes. _Why did no one think I could take care of myself? _

"Relax, mate. I was just goin' ta ask yer pretty angel of a date to dance with me," Seamus defended and Harry's face became stony, while I saw Malfoy flash with anger. _This is going to be good._

"What makes you think I'd allow that, Seamus?" Harry asked darkly and I smirked to myself, as Malfoy looked furiously for his wand, no doubt to curse the Irishman in front of me.

"Well, ya haven't exactly been dancin' much...and all I wanted was one dance with the pretty lady," Seamus muttered and I smiled, standing up gracefully and extending my hand, my eyes glancing at an appalled Malfoy.

"I'd be delighted, Seamus," I said kindly and he bowed, before leading me on the dance floor and spinning me quickly. Though he wasn't that good of a dancer, his quick wit and charm made up for the when he stepped on my feet and I found that could actually enjoy myself, even though Harry was boring his eyes into my back and Malfoy looked like he was about to murder someone. _Why did I care about what that slimy snake thought?_

"I'm sorry, I never asked for yer name," Seamus realized and I smiled as the song ended, and he dipped me low.

"Her name is Alesea, Finnegan. If you don't mind," a cold voice snapped and Seamus shot me a sympathetic look as Malfoy stepped in, taking my hand.

"What are you doing, Malfoy? Do you have a death wish?" I exclaimed, as Ron and Harry set eyes on Malfoy, rummaging in their pockets for their wands. Shrugging lightly, Malfoy turned back to me, the arrogant mask almost entirely dissolved.

"Perhaps. Add that to the list of things I don't know. Including who you REALLY are. There is no one named Alesea Evans at Hogwarts," he whispered and I backed away, my eyes alarmed as I realized that he knew my secret. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Snape sneaking out with a suspicious man, and I slipped out of my heels, running through the crowd and out of the Hall. Hiding behind a column, I saw them arguing, and I decided to follow them, straining the boundaries of my connection with Harry.

**A/N: So, how'd I do? Let's just start from the beginning, shall we? First of all, AIDAN RULED in this chapter. This was the chapter where you guys actually begin to see his true nature, beneath the mask. And thanks to this chapter, I am now convinced that he and Cora just belong together. It's written in the stars.. Any guesses as to what Jordan wrote him? Cause I don't even know… As for Zach, he'll go under the radar for a while. Those of you concerned about his behaviour, never fear. He's not obsessed, he's just a flawed character, with weaknesses. In a way, he's the worst combination of a Gryffindor and a Slytherin-the exact opposite of Harry. Whilst Harry secludes himself in his pain, Zach pulls others down with him. That's why he needed someone like Lia, and when the Morte Noire threatened him with her death, he fell apart. And please tell me whether you guys like Draco/Lia or Zach and Lia. They're an interesting couple, the both of them. No Seamus/Lia, please. I just always imagined Seamus to be like Sirius, a ladies man and all, so of course he'd go for Lia. And yes, Lex went insane, but don't blame her. Someone has to have a sense of fashion… wait, there's Will. Please don't kick my ass for altering JKR's text…I just don't think that Ron could've gotten Padma without Parvati urging her on. A Hufflepuff will do. Oh, and to you Ron/Hermione shippers- I'm seriously considering cutting that bit out of the story entirely. Unless Lee can slap some sense into him. Please leave me a review-hugs and flames are welcome! Virtual lemonade to anyone that reviews!**


	47. New Distractions

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait, but my muse decided that she was going to have a vacay. Finally, however, with much bribing and begging, she has returned and I give you a new chapter. Thanks for putting up with my lazy brain! As to my loyal reviewers, thanks to the Elves, clairwe, Eternity'sEmbrace, Shadow(THANK YOU!), and weirdgiraffe for reviewing. I love you guys so much! This chapter is for Justin! **

Lia's POV

Snape's cloak billowed behind him, creating eerie shadows against the stone walls of the corridors. As I continued to follow him and the strange man, I felt as though a set of ropes pulling me back, the bond between Harry and I stretching to a breaking point. Finally, Snape pulled the man into an empty classroom, accidentally leaving it open a crack so I could see.

"Igor, what is the meaning of this?" Snape asked, though the intention seemed fairly obvious. Snape was leaning casually against the teacher's desk, while the other man paced nervously, clutching his left arm as Jordan had done earlier today. He was taller than Snape, with small, beady eyes and a hooked nose that looked like a beak. His chin was covered with a disgusting goatee and he seemed to carry an aura of narrow-mindedness, as he was clothed in robes of pearly white.

"Do not pretend, Severus," the man named Igor snapped, and Snape sneered darkly, his eyes flicking to the door angrily. _Crap, can he tell that I'm watching him?_ Pushing myself off the desk, he walked over to the man, his arms crossed casually behind his back.

"I do not pretend, Igor. Subtlety was never your prowess," Snape smirked and the man flared out at him, pointing his wand at Snape's throat. "You are here out of fear. My mark is darkening, same as yours. He is returning," Snape said dramatically and I saw Igor pull out his wand, sticking it at Snape's throat. Instinctually, I grabbed the hilt of my wand and I saw Snape's eyes move from side to side surreptitiously, indicating that I shouldn't attack.

"So the rumors, they're true? The Dark Lord is alive?" Igor gasped and Snape nodded coldly, shaking back a curtain of greasy hair. The breath I was inhaling stuck in my throat as his words sunk in. Voldemort was back. And Harry would have to face him.

"Severus, do you not see? He is alive,and he shall punish us, for not showing loyalty," Igor exclaimed and I exhaled sharply. His followers were no more than cowards themselves. Just puppies who followed their leader.

"When the Dark Lord rises, he shall reward those who return to him. I have managed to infiltrate Dumbledore's inner circle. The Dark Lord values this above everything else. So, no, Igor. I do not see what there is to fuss about," Snape answered simply and I gasped audibly. Snape was spying for Voldemort? My hand clenched in anger and I decided to corner Batman as soon as I could. He would PAY!

"Severus, you cannot pretend this is not happening! It's been getting clearer and clearer for months! I am becoming seriously concerned! I can't deny it-" Igor practically yelled, his face twisting between anxiety and fury.

"Then flee," Snape said curtly, as though that was the simplest answer in the world. _How was it that I was sorted into the same house as him? And Zach? Am I seriously like this? _"Flee-I will make your excuses," Snape assured, though I sensed he was lying. Such slime ball would never lay his own life on the line for the likes of Igor Karkaroff. "I, however, will remain at Hogwarts," the Potions Master concluded, and I had to be proud of his resolve. _How did you even stand being with him, Mum? _

Shooting Snape a final glare, Igor stormed out, and the force of the door slammed me into the wall. The man stopped for a second, before sweeping away. As I sat up, I noticed Snape was leaning on the door, shaking his head in my direction.

"You seem to be more and more like your father, Miss Munroe," he smirked and stood up angrily, dropping my invisibility as I pointed my wand at him.

"Keep my father out of this, you traitor," I spat and Snape smirked, as he walked into the classroom casually, closing the door behind us.

"Funny. I remember young Mr. Potter saying the same thing a while back," he mused darkly and I stepped forward, my wand still raised.

"Great minds think alike. Why are you spying for Voldemort?" I asked and Snape turned around, so he was not meeting my eyes.

"That is none of your concern. What should be your concern is how you could have impacted the fate of everyone here by showing yourself tonight!" he yelled and I recoiled slightly, though my wand never dropped.

"The future is never written in stone," I answered and Snape rolled his eyes, looking at me for the first time. I was shocked to see that they bore tears.

"Would you please stop that?" he begged and I raised an eyebrow at his expression.

"What am I doing, Batman?" I snapped and he smiled sadly, pushing a strand of hair from my face.

"Being Lily. You know, she fell for a Marauder because she had a penchant for pranks. No matter what she did, she couldn't punish James, Remus, Sirius, or Peter if she caught them in the middle of another practical joke," he told me softly and I looked down, trying to hide my face. I was obviously causing him pain.

"Professor, I'm sorry that my face causes you pain. I truly am. But that's not the only thing that can bring you pain. If you bring my brother any harm, I will not hesitate to hurt you. It may kill me that you won't be able to fight back, because of who I am in this world, but I will do it," I swore and he shook his head, a sneer on his lips.

"You foolish girl! Don't you understand what you have done? You don't exist in this world!" he yelled and began running his fingers through his hair like a madman.

"Neither did you! How do you know that I wasn't meant to be here?" I argued and Snape paled, looking away. Slowly, I recognized the look on his face and my hand began shaking.

"Severus, what do you know?" I whispered and he clenched his jaw shut, making my very soul flare with anger. Raising my wand, I stepped forward and pointed it at his throat, ignoring the flinch that he failed to hide.

"It is none of your concern, Munroe. But you were born in another world," he said softly and I stepped forward, my stance predatory.

"So were you, Snape!" I yelled and he snatched my wand, throwing it to the ground as he swept around, bat like. He looked at the end of his wits, his black robes billowing like a tornado.

"And look what I have done! The Potter boy, he-" Snape exclaimed, before cutting himself off, his face panicked as my hands clenched into fists.

"What?" I gasped, shaking slightly. Quietly, he brushed back his hair and shook his head, clutching at his arm as though it were a lifeline.

"What about Harry? Severus, please. I can't lose him," I begged and he nodded slowly, looking around anxiously.

"Fine, but I'm not doing this for him. I'm doing this for Lily," he whispered and I nodded, placing my arm gently on his shoulder.

"The Dark Lord will return. There is nothing Potter can do to stop that. But he has to fight back. Voldemort returns to kill, and he won't hesitate to kill anyone who gets in his way," he said gravely and I nodded, swallowing heavily as I thought of Harry.

"Oh no. Ron, Hermione, Sirius!" I exclaimed, turning on my heel, but Snape grabbed my arm to stop me from running. He seemed to be struggling with himself, before pulling me into a tight hug. With a shock, I realized he actually smelled somewhat nice, like basil and fresh grass.

"The Dark Lord knows not of your existence. He must never know, Lia. Not only will he use you to get to Harry, but he may kill you. More than you realize, you are like your mother, and I cannot lose her again. So, I must ask you to stay away from young Mr. Malfoy. He has a silver tongue, but when the Dark Lord returns, it will be another story. Besides, I was under the impression that your heart lay with someone in another world. Mr. Huber is more worthy of you," Snape murmured and I pushed him away, letting the tears stream down my cheeks as I regarded the man that had loved my mother.

"How dare you?" I spat, and the pain crossed his face like a knife, slicing his features. " My private life is none of your business. And don't you dare talk about Zach, do you understand? Never." Pulling my hand from his grip, I ran out the door, snatching my wand up in the process, and forgetting to make myself invisible again.

The cold air hit my lungs like a typhoon wave, almost knocking me to the ground as I inhaled deeply. Panting, I leaned against the wall and hyperventilated, the air not reaching my lungs. I could lose him. Again.

Slowly, the corridors began spinning and my eyes fluttered shut.

As I fell, a pair of thin, strong arms enveloped me, steadying me. Inhaling deeply, I smelled the musk of men's cologne, mixed with lemon and the ocean breeze. It smelled expensive, but intoxicating, so I simply allowed myself to relax in the unknown boy's arms.

"Hey, there. Are you okay?" I heard a silky voice ask and my eyes flew open, settling on a familiar, pale face. His features were haughty, similar to Aidan's, but a great deal sharper, and as pale as alabaster, the flames making his skin shine like an angel's. Though his hair was slicked back, several strands fell into his eyes, shielding his mercurial orbs that threatened to drown me in their depth.

"Just peachy, thank you," I said curtly, pushing his arms from me, which only made me stagger even further. Smirking arrogantly, he sauntered over and wrapped me in his arms again, leaning me against his unfortunately lean chest.

"Relax, Evans. I don't bite, despite Saint Potter's suspicions," he sneered and I chuckled lightly at his tone, clearly picturing Harry insulting his silver-tongued arch nemesis.

"Let go of me, Malfoy," I whispered and I felt him shake his head as he helped me sit down on the ground, before kneeling in front of my shaking figure. I was appalled by this sudden gesture of kindness: never had Draco Malfoy showed such emotion. Not only that, but he seemed oblivious to the fact that his opulent, black silk robes were being frayed by the rough stone of the floor.

"I think not. You see, Evans, you humiliated me back there. No one has ever done that before," he commented and I smirked arrogantly, flipping back a strand of hair that had fallen out of my tight bun.

"There's a first time for everything. Plus, you had it coming," I replied smartly, making to get up, but his arm stopped me. Quickly, my eyes darted to my wand, and my hand snatched out to grab it, intent on cursing this _poepol_ to next Tuesday. He was quicker, however, and he grabbed my wand and stuffed it in his pocket, pinning me down with an icy glare.

"I wouldn't do that. Despite what Potter and his Weasel may say, I'm not on the Slytherin team for no reason," he grimaced and rolled his eyes. Affronted, I crossed my arms and huffed indignantly, adjusting the thin silver chain on my unnaturally slim ankle. With heavy embarrassment, I noticed his eyes follow my hand and darken substantially, before looking back at me.

"Plagiarist. That's MY nickname for Ron," I objected and he grinned, the light returning to his eyes, as well as a sparkle that I had not seen before. Removing his arm from my shoulder, he leaned against the wall, shooting me a look of warning. But he had my wand, and I needed that before I disappeared.

"Then I apologize, milady. But you seem to be more of a snake than an eagle, in my opinion," he noted, fingering his wand lovingly. Shrugging, I leaned back and looked at him out of the corner of my eye. He didn't look as haughty anymore, he looked fatigued, as though he were bearing the weight of the world.

"The Sorting Hat considered Slytherin, but settled for Ravenclaw in the end. Apparently I have more brains than venom," I smirked and he chuckled darkly, shaking his head. The sound was foreign, bright and youthful, so unlike his demeaning personality.

"The Hat was quite foolish. You have more than enough venom," he smiled and I blushed, looking down in spite of myself. After several seconds of silence, I looked up, only to find him staring at me, quite similar to the manner in which Hermione looked at one of her essays.

"What?" I asked and he cocked his head, pocketing his wand.

"You seem familiar. I've seen you somewhere before," he said and I laughed lightly, tucking my legs underneath me. With shaking hands, I smoothed the satin of the dress and regarded the boy who had been the bane of my brother's existence with mild interest.

"Of course you have, Malfoy. I go to this school. You just haven't noticed me because I keep to myself," I tried to evade his gaze, but he shook his head and looked at me sharply.

"Evans, cut the act. I know you're not from here. What baffles me is that you still look exceedingly familiar," he mused and I squirmed uncomfortably. Exhaling sharply, I stood up and steadied myself, beginning to walk down the corridor and back into the Great Hall.

"That is none of your business. Hand me my wand," I stated sharply and he shook his head firmly, standing up with much more grace than I had. "I mean it, Malfoy. You have no idea what I can do."

"I'm still Malfoy? How unfortunate, I had hoped you'd move past surnames," he said lightly and my eyes narrowed dangerously. "But, no. I think I'll keep this," he smirked, gesturing to my wand in his pale hand. It shone against his skin like a beacon. "As a souvenir."

"Before I attack you, I do have one question. I'm Harry Potter's date, yet you're nicer to me than you are to anyone. Why am I any different?" I sneered arrogantly and he blanched. The dim light of the flames barely showed the flush across his face, but I spotted it anyways. "You don't need to be a complete bastard to be charming," I said softly, before turning on my heels and strutting away clumsily, my shoes echoing in the near-empty hallway.

As I turned the corner, I saw Hermione and Ron run out of the Great Hall, obviously in a deep argument.

"Yeah, that's what I think!" Ron exclaimed, as though it was the most natural thing in the world. Hermione looked plain scary, her face red and streaked with tears as she screamed right back, not missing a beat. Her dress was ruffled messily, but she looked beautiful.

"You know the solution then, don't you?" she yelled, running after him as he turned away, looking like a wounded puppy. A very stupid and selfish wounded puppy, but still.

"Go on," he dared her, his vest flaring as she stepped in front of him, stopping him from running any further. Crying, she flipped her head back and stared at him firmly, her warm eyes as cold as ice.

"Next time there's a ball, pucker up the courage and ask me before somebody else does! And NOT as a last resort," she added and Ron blushed a violent red to match his fiery hair, before scoffing and turning his nose up at her.

"Well, that-that's just... I mean, that's completely off the point," he stuttered, sidestepping her petite figure and glancing over her shoulder in alarm, to see Harry walking out of the Hall, his face worried. _He must be looking for me._

"Harry," Ron exclaimed and I rolled my eyes, hiding behind the column even further as my brother stepped forward. _No shit, Sherlock. _

"Where have you been?" Hermione accosted him, her voice accusatory as she glared at the anxious face of Harry. Stammering, he gestured to the Hall but she shook her head and placed her hand in front of his face, telling him to be quiet. "Never mind. Off to bed, both of you!" she exclaimed and Harry rushed past her to Ron, an angry look on his face.

"They get scary when they get older," Ron said, not all that quietly, and Hermione turned back around, wiping the tears from her eyes with her hand.

"Ron, you're spoiled...everything!" she yelled, as Harry tugged him back into the Hall.

Sobbing quietly, Hermione collapsed on the stairs and yanked off her shoes, rubbing the soles of her feet.

"Are you okay?" I murmured, stepping out of hiding and she looked up sadly, nodding.

"Yes, I'm quite used to it by now. Ronald's never been the most emotionally aware of people. Other than himself, that it," she laughed bitterly, trying to hide the tears. "But Harry's looking for you," she croaked, standing up shakily.

"He'll be better. Want me to knock some sense into him?" I asked and she shook her head, a smile on her lips now.

"No, that won't help. I'm just going to get out of this ridiculous getup," she gestured to her dress and I laughed openly, hugging her lightly.

"At least we agree about that. I seriously miss my sneakers and jeans right now," I groaned and she giggled, before waving nervously and walking up the stairs, as I looked over my shoulder and ran further, determined to get away from Malfoy.

Suddenly, a cold hand grabbed my arm and I turned to see Malfoy's face, as vulnerable as it had been before.

"You don't treat me like a Malfoy," he whispered and I cocked my head to the side, looking at him silently. He was the entire opposite of Zach: pale and glowing, but with the same kind of angelic terror.

"Excuse me?" I asked, crossing my arms sharply. Sighing deeply, Malfoy looked down and bit his thin lip until it was blood red.

"You asked why you're any different. When you talk to me, you treat me like a person. Not like my last name," he admitted and I scoffed, earning me a glare from him.

"I don't believe that your last name defines who you are. But that doesn't mean you're not like them," I stated firmly and he looked up, his eyes twinkling.

"Why are you so nice to me?" he murmured and I rolled my eyes.

"Because you deserve to be given a chance. Although you have definitely proven that you don't deserve it. You treat me like I'm below you, but we're more alike than you'll ever know. But I'm nothing," I nearly shouted and turned away, hiding my tears. It was true, Snape had proven that. I couldn't help Harry, and he'd have to face Voldemort again.

"That's not true, Alesea. You're anything but," Malfoy said softly, and I wrenched my hand from his grip, the venom on my face as clear as day.

"Really? What if I told you that I was Muggle-born? Would it still be the same?" I asked and he stiffened before shaking his head, glancing away. I froze in my tracks: I definitely had not expected that.

"It doesn't matter to me. For years, I listened to my parents, but there's no difference. I still have to pretend like I do, or they'll kill me," he whispered and I stepped forward, placing my tiny hand on his lean arm.

"Are you shitting me, Malfoy?" I asked and he laughed loudly, shaking his head as he glanced at me.

"No, I'm not. But my path was decided before I was born, there's nothing I can do. And I honestly don't care who you are, but I need to know who you are. I would never forget those eyes," he said carefully, using a thin finger to brush away some of my tears.

"I'm so sorry, Draco. But I can't tell you who I am," I murmured softly, feel of his fingers on my cheeks creating goosebumps on my exposed arms. Sighing, he pulled away and smiled sadly.

"I cannot force you, no matter how much I may wish. Your wand," he said elegantly, handing me back my wand. Smiling gratefully, I placed my wand safely back in my purse, and wove my arm around his.

"You never did give me that dance," I smirked and he grinned widely, clicking his heels together.

"My wish is your command," he answered sexily, wrapping his arm around my waist. With more grace and elegance than I alone could have ever managed, he led me into the Great Hall, where a fairly upbeat song was playing. However, as soon as we entered, Draco was accosted by Harry and Ron, their looks screaming bloody murder.

"Malfoy," Ron said stiffly, his hand clenched into a fist around his wand.

"Evening, Weasley," Malfoy said cordially, bowing ever so slightly, to the amazement of the entire student body, myself included. "It's not that I don't enjoy this little witty colloquy, but I do believe I owe this matchless beauty a dance. If you'd excuse me," he stated simply, and I blushed violently as he walked past my two protectors swiftly, his hand firmly clasping mine.

"Hold on, Malfoy. What makes you think you can dance with her?" Harry asked sharply, and I turned around, facing him with a sharp glare that made him stagger backwards. Good, my mom was scary too.

"He asked me, Harry. Stop being so over-protective! I can take care of myself," I defended and his mouth opened slack, making his face look quite dumb.

"But it's Malfoy!" he objected and I felt Draco stiffen, his eyes darkening in hurt.

"His name, Harry, is Draco. Learn to utilize it. And his surname means nothing to me. It does not define who he is," I concluded, turning back to Draco, whose eyes shone in gratitude. Nodding slightly, he led me on the dance floor and whirled me around effortlessly, before pulling me securely into his arms. With a smile, we began moving, the people around us becoming a blur as he began dancing faster and faster.

"You're really good at this," I stammered as he tightened his hold. Smirking slightly he spun me gently, moving in perfect sync with the music.

"Years of practice, my beautiful," he whispered into my ear and I shivered at the feel of his breath on my shoulder.

"Sod off, Malfoy. You know as well as I do that I'm anything but pretty," I murmured and he stopped dancing abruptly, making me clutch onto his shoulders for dear life. His face was stony, but I saw his eyes speak volumes of shock.

"Don't ever say that, 'Sea," he whispered, leaning closer towards me. Panicking, I pushed away, and he looked at me with hurt in his eyes.

"I can't do this. I'm so SO sorry!" I replied fervently, running out of the Hall and closing my eyes, allowing my world to reclaim me.

**A/N: How'd I do? And what is Snape hiding from Lia? Please leave me a review, I know you guys are probably pissed for me not updating, but I honestly meant to! And, yes, Draco is OOC in this story, though not as much. He's still quite arrogant, but I portrayed him as I view him. Arrogant but damaged. Don't worry my loyal Drasea shippers, it's not the end of the world. She'll come back. Drop me a review, flames and hugs are welcome(I need hugs!). Virtual omelette to the world!**


	48. Severus Snape is a Powerpuff at Heart

**A/N: Hey guys! You cannot imagine how guilty I feel for abandoning you guys for so long…I'm an awful person, I know it, but finally we has a new chapter to the epic sage of Friends, Enemies and Newids. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the previous chapters, if my memory serves me correctly, that includes SkyeElf, AverytheElf, im-the-doctor, StormTheVeela, Justin and weirdgiraffe. I hope I don't lose any of you in my rush to get everything back on track. School's been hectic, as well as my life in general, but I assure you, I'm back, and here to stay! This chapter is for my sister and my best friend, Leanna and Corneli. I love you guys with all my heart and Merry Bloody Christmas!**

**Soundtrack: I would say We are Young by 3OH!3, Na Na Na by My Chemical Romance, and, if you're bold, Moves like Jagger by Maroon 5(just because it's been stuck in my head for too long now)**

Lia's POV

I woke with a shock, my body splayed wildly across Amber's bed. With a start, I realized that Cora was sitting beside me, a damp towel on my burning forehead and her small hand in mine. Her eyes conveyed intense worry, but also sympathy, and I realized she'd seen everything.

"How long have I been out?" I muttered, tearing myself away from her sympathetic gaze.

"Not long, really. Maybe a half hour. But you started thrashing a couple minutes ago, and you're burning up!" she replied, placing her hands on my head. Slowly, my headache dissipated, and I smiled in relief.

"Thanks. I've got to go," I said hurriedly, yet Cora seized my hand, her eyes wide with anxiety. Frowning, I tried to twist out of her grip, but it remained firm.

"Are you okay? I heard-" she began, but I cut her off, expertly maneuvering her to the floor, pinning her to the ground with my knee.

"Don't you dare. This conversation, this night, it never leaves the room, do you understand?" I threatened and she nodded softly. Biting my tongue, I released her and changed into my paint-covered jeans and tee.

"Lee?" she whispered and I turned to her. Cora, the person I had hurt so badly, stood by the bed, her eyes warmer than the softest blanket. She still cared for me, even though my distance was killing her from the inside out.

"Yeah?" I asked and she wrapped her arms around me.

"It's okay. Everything will be okay," she assured, slipping a book into my hands.

It was in impeccable condition, the yellow and green cover embroidered with a diamond pattern. The pages were well-used, as though they had been read too many times to count.

"Ummm, what is this?" I asked and she sighed.

"The final book. You don't need to know what will happen in-between, but you need to know how it ends. Lia, you can't tell him. Otherwise, the future changes," she answered, and my hands began shaking. In my hands, lay the key to saving him. _Screw__the__rules,__Lee,__this__could__save__his__life_.

"Lee? It won't," Cora said sagely and I nodded. _She's__right.__You__hate__it,__but__she's__right._

"I know. A girl can dream though," I mused and she chuckled, before pulling me into a final hug.

"And don't worry about Draco. You aren't the first person to fall for him," she smirked and I blushed wildly, the blush covering not only my face, but my entire neck and chest as well.

Smiling, I pulled out of the hug, before running out of the room. The Common Room was fairly empty, except for a sandy-haired boy I thought was Xander.

Upon closer inspection, I realized my mistake. This boy had slightly plumper lips, and less freckles. Not to mention, he definitely wasn't grinning like a madman.

He was CRYING.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked, and he whirled around violently, his wand raised.

"Who's there?" Evan yelled, and I winced, raising my arms in alarm.

"It's just me. Lia," I said shakily and his face broke into a relieved smile. It looked like it pained him, as he dropped his wand, sinking back into the plush cushions of the couch. His eyes were red and his hands shaking slightly. A green tinge covered his face and he looked like he was going to be severely sick.

"How is she? Cora, I mean," he asked me suddenly, a worried look crossing his eyes.

"Hard to tell, really. Depends on what your definition of all right is," I replied, my voice monotone. Evan sighed and nodded, resigned.

"I never should have let her leave," he mumbled and I placed a hand on his shoulder. My eyes sharpened meaningfully and he chuckled, running a lanky hand through his messy hair.

"You didn't let her leave. Evan, you left her," I commented and he glared at me.

"I know. But that's not the worst thing," he groaned, before standing up and looking at me.

"Evan, what do you mean?" I breathed, a cloud of mist escaping my mouth into the cool air of the Common Room.

"Bad things are about to happen, and she needs to be ready," he stated blankly, turning to me. His brown eyes spoke volumes and my eyes darted to his arm.

"What sort of things?" I asked warily, and he stood up, extinguishing the fire.

"Just keep her safe, do you understand me? The traitor is closer to her than you may realize," he replied, running up the stairs.

_This just keeps getting better and better._

Alec's POV

My eyelids began to droop as I read the law book with vigor. Aves never allowed the subject of her brother to come to light, slithering out of any of my questions in a distinctly Slytherin spirit. Not that I had much choice though, my head just went blank when her lips met mine.

Suddenly, my eyes spotted a sentence and my heart jumped. Could this be the loophole I had been looking for?

"Mate?" I heard Aidan ask, snapping his fingers in front of my face. This fact was only vaguely registered, however, as the gears in my head began spinning in a decidedly Cora-like manner.

"That's it! I found it!" I yelled, sprinting out of the Common Room and into the corridors.

It was a cool night, the moon high in the sky as I ran ahead, not stopping for a mere breath as my legs carried me into the Forbidden Forest.

I realized my mistake after a while, when I stopped in a clearing I had never seen before. The forest was vast, and I had no idea where to even begin looking for her.

"_Lumos,"_I whispered and my wand lit brightly, casting rays over my already gaunt face. The clearing looked familiar, the redwoods casting their own shadows over the mossy ground. Suddenly, I heard a branch crack and I spun around.

"Who's there?" I yelled and a creature stepped out of the clearing. It was a thestral, though one of the younger ones, as his wings had not grown out fully yet. His eyes sparkled at me in curiosity as he stepped forward, tentatively gazing at me, his nose twitching. I stepped forward gently, and reached forward, petting his head gently.

"You're Leoric, aren't you?" I whispered and he neighed softly in recognition. I smiled and leaned against a tree.

"Do you happen to know where I could find Aves?" I asked, feeling stupid for talking to something that couldn't even reply. He whinnied gently and began biting at my sleeve, tugging me towards him.

"What is it, boy? I'm sure my sleeve isn't that tasty..." I drawled, stopping myself as he whinnied louder, nudging me. The sky turned even darker than before, and fog enveloped every area. As the air turned frigid, Leoric neighed frantically, kicking back his skeletal legs.

I moved my wand around, and froze as I saw a hooded figure enter the clearing. It was horrible, its mouth like a bottomless pit, and its cloak hanging in tatters.

Whispers reached my ears, whispers I never wished to hear again.

_Al, please! What's happening?_

The tears cascaded down my face anew, Suze's innocent, naïve voice slicing through my heart as though it were just yesterday. Leoric's snout against my arm awoke me from my reverie and I raised my wand shakily. As my eyes met the creature's I saw her. For the first time since her death, I saw Suze, clear as day. Her pale skin, so unlike mine and Isabella's but her eyes the exact same hue. Just as on that day, she was screaming in agony, as the lavender smog left her body. Her words haunted my mind, "Why?"

Suddenly, a herd of thestral burst through the woods, neighing and rearing their heads threateningly. Their eyes shone with a kind of unwonted malice, and I felt the very warmth leave my body. Slowly, the creature retreated, and Leoric ran up to the leader of the herd, whose name I recalled to be Aethelraed.

"What was that thing?" I whispered, before realizing they could give no response. The leader's companion stepped forward and leaned on his haunches, in a clear motion indicating that I should climb on.

"I've got to be barmy," I muttered to myself, as i mounted the thestral, wrapping my arms around its thin neck.

And then we were flying.

Okay, maybe not FLYING, but it certainly felt like it.

The herd galloped towards the center of the forest, making my eyes sting with the force of the wind. In the distance, I spotted an eerie blue light, which seemed to be moving in some manner.

Suddenly, the herd stopped, and Aethelraed neighed softly in the direction of what seemed to be a giant shield. I tentatively stepped forward, reaching for the shield, when I was sucked in by what seemed to be a giant, wind-consisting hand.

The air was scalding, and I could make out Aves' voice under the ominous, terrifying roar of some creature. Focusing my eyes, I saw it was large, scaled and a vivid purple-blue, much like Cora's eyes when she was severely content. Finally, it came to me. The creature was not only reptilian, but breathing electric fire, rearing its spiked head in all directions. In more common terms, a dragon.

"Ariana, please calm down! I swear, I didn't mean to forget!" Aves cried, narrowly missing a jet of hot fire that passed by her head. Ariana roared in response.

"Aves!" I yelled, running forward, my wand raised.

"Alec? What the bloody hell are you doing here? This isn't safe!" she objected, sending me a worried look as she continued to attempt to plead with the dragon.

"You're telling me?" I replied scathingly and she stuck her tongue out, diving aside to dodge another stream of fire. "Oh, no you don't!" I muttered, sending various hexes at Ariana, catching up to Aves, who hugged me lightly.

"You bleeding git," she shook her head in doubt and I shrugged, mussing up her hair.

"You love me," I smirked simply and she batted my hand away.

"As long as you stop raping my hair, sure," she bantered and I winked playfully.

"Shouldn't we get the hell out of here?" I asked and she shook her head violently.

"If we leave, there's a good chance she'll not only attack the thestrals, but the centaurs and unicorns as well," she bit her lip nervously, her eyes deep in thought.

The dragon roared ominously, and she jumped a mile, promptly tripping over her own feet.

"What the heck is even happening?" I yelled, helping her up with my spare hand.

"She senses danger, and she won't let me leave because of it. I'm her protector, and her master, if you will!" she replied, shaking slightly. Her lips began moving furiously, yet mutely, with no sound escaping her mouth.

"What's she saying?" I asked, and Ariana suddenly stopped roaring, her great head turning towards me.

"She's asking who you are, and why you followed me here," Aves whispered and I gulped.

"Well, hi, Ariana," I began, feeling Aves muffle her laughter beside me, "My name is Alec Carmicheal, and, well, I followed Aves, because I...love her," I stuttered, my face turning a bright, vivid scarlet.

The dragon tilted its head towards me, and I saw Aves nod her head violently, her hand a vice-grip on mine. Suddenly, the dragon shot a jet of steam towards me, and I felt every pore in my body absorb it.

"Very well. I see my mistress has made her choice. One can only hope she has chosen well," a voice said in my head.

"Can you hear her?" Aves asked me and I nodded in response, my voice failing me for once in my life.

"Avery. I believe it is time for you to know who I am. You may not know it yet, but you're future is very great, my child. Nevertheless, it is also bleak, and I think you have earned the honor of having me amongst your empire. My dear, it is time you knew my name," Ariana said grandly, shaking back her head.

"I thought your name was Ariana?" I said stupidly, earning me a glare from the two women, though which was scarier, I couldn't fathom.

"Is he always this air-brained?" Ariana asked, and I rolled my eyes as Aves shrugged.

"Usually. He has his moments," she replied, smirking deviously at me.

"Dragons have two names, one which holds no power over them, and their true name, one which contains my soul therein. That name I can only divulge to my mistress, and her true one, which in this instance, is you," Ariana declared and I grinned, wrapping my arm around Aves' shoulders.

"You don't have to do this," Aves whispered, leaning into my frame.

"The Fates have told me. It is time," the dragon replied, its scales gleaming menacingly.

"My name, young ones, is Galadriel."

Aves' POV

After that night in the forest, the days of March passed agonizingly quick, as though they wanted to torture me. But the day was approaching quicker and quicker.

Ever since Lia's travels to the other world, she had become quite depressed, avoiding anyone except for Cora and Aidan, though never together. Whenever the two were in the same room, it quickly became a fierce quarrel, which usually ended in Lex or Will pulling Cora off of Aidan. We had no idea what was causing Cora to behave in such a manner, but I suspected that she thought the anonymous tip had come from him. However, after a while, it became apparent that she was using rage as a mask for something else, though for what was unclear. Then again, I was generally oblivious as to the emotions of the populous, something Aria-Galadriel- made sure I knew.

Determined to not let Lia become a hermit, Will and Justin had tried every possible thing to cheer her up, from hooking her up on blind dates to helping Xander and Bex pull some of the most spectacular pranks in the history of Hogwarts. Their most recent had been Hogwarts' most elaborate prank ever that had curiously started out as a recon mission for Cassandra's Army. After the scandal that the anonymous tip had caused, Cora and Lex became utterly determined to find out as much about the other side as possible. Like any other world-saving mission, however, it was easier said than done.

But nothing was impossible with Ravenclaws on your side, and we had certainly come through.

Oddly enough, it seemed that Bella and Chase took control from here, both having parents that worked in Magical Law Enforcement. Cora willingly let them take control, and buried herself in her research of Iár, with the help of Annika, the walking library. They spent every meeting digging for information in books, coming up with scarce more than vague hints. From then on, Bella began teaching us stealth and spying, while Chase went even farther, collecting a select group to personally scour out the followers of the Mistress. Everyone with close ties to Cora was immediately alienated, leaving out practically all of the Gryffindors, and most of the eternally loyal Hufflepuffs. That left Skye, Chase, Annabel, Justin and a couple others to infiltrate the unknown enemy. Which, in turn, left the pranksters with a clear opportunity to prank absolutely everyone inside the castle.

The sun rose quickly the next day, waking me up with its sharp rays. Ravenclaw tower faced east, so we were always hit with the first blast of sunlight. If there was one thing I disagreed with Rowena Ravenclaw on, it was her strict belief, "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." What utter balls! I hated mornings.

Sitting up, I felt my neck crick unpleasantly, and I blinked drearily. The Common Room was empty, the rest of the House still in their dormitories, but I spotted Seth in a corner, looking out a window with his face deep in thought. I shook my head rapidly and gazed down at the table, my eyes blurry with fatigue. Stretching dramatically, I recognized the piece of parchment in front of me as my Transfiguration notes, now slightly smudged from me falling asleep on them.

"Morning," I groaned, squinting at the sunlight streaming freely from the tall windows and reflecting off the giant silver statue of Rowena in the corner of the room.

"Hmm?" Seth mumbled, looking around, before shooting me a lopsided grin. "You do realize your face is black, don't you? Alas, the curse of Ravenclaws. Getting ink over everything," he sighed playfully, his ghostly figure reverberating in laughter as he slid a book back into the 12-ft bookcases surrounding the statue.

"Piss off," I mumbled, feeling around blindly for my wand. Finally, my palm connected with the leaf-engraved hilt and I pointed it at the window grumpily. "_Claudo,"_ I groaned, and the dark sapphire drapes closed swiftly, enveloping the Common Room in a literally blinding darkness.

"Cheerful, aren't we? What's wrong?" he asked, noticing my sullen face as I collapsed on the overstuffed couch, curling up into a tight, minuscule ball determined to disappear into the upholstery.

"Nothing," I said softly, my voice drifting as I traced one of my scars lightly with my finger. Finally, they had begun fading, but some still remained, shining like moonlight against a black sky.

"Rubbish, Aves. You know I know you better than that. Don't make me bring Aerie down here," he threatened and I chuckled, as his eyes glinted hopefully at the opportunity.

"Are you sure you're not just looking for a chance to see Aerie in her knickers? I thought men were gentlemen fifty years ago," I smirked crookedly and his face fogged up, indicating a deep blush. Stammering slightly, he descended on the couch next to me and I began laughing at his dejected expression.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he snapped and I snorted, my stomach beginning to hurt with the effort of laughing so hard.

"Seth, you're about as subtle as a bright yellow hippogriff. Or as subtle as me, with my neon hair," I admitted and he chuckled nervously, stuffing his hand in his pockets. "Relax, it's not like I'm going to tell her. Although, I could get serious brownie points for that..." I mused and his expression turned into one of sheer panic, making his scar shine like never before.

"You wouldn't..." he muttered, his face blanching into an even further state of transparency. Smirking evilly, I stood up and began sauntering over to the staircase, feeling Seth's frightened gaze. "Aves, c-come on. Let's think this through," he tried to reason, his deep voice stumbling over his own words.

"Wow, how gullible are you? It's as if you don't even know me, Seth!" I exclaimed, and he sighed, shooting me a sharp glare as I collapsed back onto the couch. "But, seriously Seth? Aerie? I mean, you guys seem good for each other, but it's not like it's normal, or even mildly conventional. You're dead!"

"Now we have a firm grip of the obvious, Aves, thank you. But it's not as if you and Alec are normal either. He's related to the enemy, Aves!" he yelled and my eyes narrowed dangerously, my knuckles turning white around the base of my wand.

"So that's what you think. Did you return just to criticize me about my choices, Seth? I couldn't give a flying fuck about Alec's family history, as long as he loves me. Which he makes a point to prove, every single day. He's been reading law books behind my back for Merlin knows how long, trying to put my brother to justice. When you came back, you never asked me about my bruises, about how I got hurt. Guess what? My brother set the Elven army up to gang-rape me. Happy? But he doesn't care. He doesn't care that I'm dirty, because to him, I'm still the girl he fell in love with. Yes, he's Isabella's brother, but he's nothing like her," I spat venomously, running up the stairs and into the dormitory, where Aerie was sitting cross-legged on the bed, her face somber as her wide, yellowish-green eyes regarded me carefully.

"How much did you hear?" I whispered and she frowned, sliding off the bed, her figure towering at least a foot over mine.

"Enough. Why didn't you tell me, Aves?" she asked, wrapping me in her lanky arms. Sniffing loudly, I shook my head and snorted.

"I didn't want people knowing. The last thing I need is people treating me like a porcelain doll. Besides, I didn't want you guys leaving. These bruises, you don't get it...they make me sick, disgusting," I stammered and she wrapped her arms around me even tighter.

"Tha's utter shite, Aves. We don' give a bloomin' damn about that. 'Sides, it ain't yer fault. It's yer brother's fault, fer doing such a thing to ya. As fer Seth, I just dunno what to say. He's bein' a right foul git," she joked, leading me over to the bed, where I curled up into my small protective ball.

"Thanks, Aerie. And please, don't be mad. The only people that know are Alec, Lia and Cora, and that's because they figured it out. I can't keep a secret from them whatsoever," I admitted and she grinned shyly, looking at me from under her bangs before straightening herself up and grabbing her wand from her table.

"I'll be right back, ok? Don't move," Aerie instructed and I nodded, before burrowing under the blanket and letting the tears escape the confines of my eyes.

Aerie's POV

How could I have been so fecking stupid? Some Ravenclaw I was, allowing my heart to get in the way of me reasoning. Seth had something else coming, if he thought he could mess with Aves like that and get away with it.

"You total bastard!" I shrieked at the smoky figure floating by the bookcase. I could feel my head begin to throb dangerously, my mind on the brink of losing control. But I wouldn't let her take over now. Niamh had no place in this conversation.

"Aerie?" he whispered, his eyes wide with fear, and I stopped in my tracks, taken aback by his expression. His face was warm, but genuinely filled with fear and my mouth pulled to the side in a snake's smirk as I realized that I was the reason for his fear.

"No, I'm Dumbledore. Yes, you git, it's me!" I replied and he turned away, floating over to the window again. My anger flared and I whirled my wand at him, "_Langlock!"_

Seth began choking, his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. Sauntering forward, I threw my wand on the couch and glared him in the eye. "How could you, Seth? Of all of the things to argue with her about, it had to be ALEC? How could you even suggest such a thing?" I shrieked, before mutely removing the spell so he could reply.

"Bloody hell, Aerie? Was that necessary?" he objected and I glared at him, causing him to blush furiously. It would have been endearing, were it not for what he had done to the tough-as-nails half-elf upstairs.

"Yes, you prat! Now, answer the question," I demanded and he narrowed his eyes before shrugging, an air of nonchalance radiating off him.

"She had it coming. Alec is a liability, not only to her, but to Cora as well. At least Lia has the guts to stand up to Iz and get away, but he almost killed her!" Seth yelled back, his long hair shaking in the fury of his rage.

"Does it really even matter? I don't know what it's like to have a family, but tha' girl you've just hurt is the closest thing I've ever had to a sister. And if Alec makes her genuinely happy, who're you to question his motives?" I replied, my hair now floating lazily around my head.

"You don't understand, Aerie, and I don't expect you to," he sighed drearily, and I saw red.

"FINE! Run away from me, like the coward you are. Believe you me, I may not be as intelligent as Cora, as tough as Aves or as cunning as Lia, but I can damn well keep a grudge. Mark my words Seth Wilcox, you'll regret this!" I screamed, my eyes shining ominously as I turned from him, feeling like a total fool.

The room grew silent, and I shook my head, my hair falling on by back once again.

"Aer?" I heard him whisper, beside my ear.

"Let me be, Seth," I breathed, but I felt his ghostly, frigid hand touch my shoulder.

"You should know by now, Aer. I don't give up that easily," he chuckled, and I felt my lips tug up in a slight smile.

"I reckon not," I spun on my toes and faced him, not realizing how close he was to me. "What you did was wrong, you know tha'," I stated simply and he nodded. I blushed noticeably as his nose brushed mine, and he grinned cockily in response.

"I do know that. Though I still find it adorable when you blush," he smirked and I crossed my arms tightly, my face turning a dull scarlet.

"You don't need to be so nice," I murmured, not trusting myself to look up, choosing instead to look at the ever-interesting floor.

"Aer," he said, and I looked up, the blush still present. "You have nothing to be embarrassed about, quite the contrary," his face fogged up, but that didn't stop his eyes from perusing me like a difficult essay. I suddenly realized I was still wearing my pajamas, a pair of ridiculously short shorts and a ratty t-shirt that was at least 2 sizes too small.

"I'm just going to leave. Now," I squeaked, running upstairs and into the dorm room, slamming the door behind me.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with you, Aerie?" Aves yelled from her bed, though her smirk was evident.

"Seth was undressin' me with his eyes, an' I panicked!" I swallowed loudly, collapsing on my bed loudly, causing Bex to mutter in her sleep.

"Can't say I didn't tell you so," Aves winked conspiratorially, tying her hair out of her face.

"You didn't," I stated bluntly and she cocked her head to the side, clearly in deep thought.

"Huh. I guess I didn't. Well, I just told you, so ha! I'm hungry, can we go eat now?" she asked, and I grinned. Aves knew my weaknesses like the back of her hand.

"Sure, but we should wake her up first," I gave in, gesturing my head towards Bex's bed.

"Okay!" Aves yelled, seeming like a 5-year old. She jumped haphazardly off the bed and landed, cat-like on Bex's, jumping violently.

"BEX! TIME TO WAKE UP!" she screamed, and Bex's eyes opened widely, just as she rolled on the ground.

"Bloody hell. Could someone restrain the insane elf, please?" she muttered, shaking her head dubiously.

Suddenly, Aves turned to me, her eyes cartoon-like, and jumped me, wrapping her thin limbs around my waist.

"I'm a monkey!" she exclaimed, her voice even more pitchy than usual. Bex sent me a look, her hair turning a bright green, and I shrugged.

"Ummm, Aves? I kinda need to move," I murmured and she nodded violently, jumping on the ground and bounding out of the door.

"Holy crap in a bucket, that stuff should be illegal," Bex murmured, and I rolled my eyes.

"You didn't," I glared and her hair turned white in fear.

"Merlin's knickers, Bex!" I exclaimed, running out of the door.

Cora's POV

The Great Hall was packed, filled with students piling food on their plates, though much more than normal. Amber sniffed everything carefully, before shaking her head and pushing it away.

"It doesn't smell like normal," she stated, and Lex groaned.

"I' smehs fine, Mber. Stah bein' sah bludy pickeh!" Lex argued, her mouth full of sausages and bacon. Amber rolled her eyes, sobering only when Ian ruffled her hair playfully.

Suddenly, the door opened violently, and Aves bounded in, a pewter cauldron on her head, singing some Elven folk song. She ran around the Hall in circles, before Bex ran in as well, chasing after Aves before promptly crashing into the wall.

"Just your typical Saturday," Justin said innocently, earning him glares from Will, though they had no effect, being more adorable than anything else.

"I don't even want to know," I groaned, shaking my head in disbelief. Getting up, I hid my eyes behind my lion's mane as I walked across the hall, avoiding the piercing eyes of those around me. Whoever my nemesis was, they were gaining strength, reports of murders and kidnappings orchestrated by me had only risen, thanks to the sharp quill of Mariame Bellot.

Finally, I reached Bex, whose metamorphosing was a right mess, her face comparable to that of a badly cooked Christmas Pudding. I noticed Xander wasn't around either, his booming voice not part of the ambiance of the bustling Great Hall.

"Come on, Bex," I urged her, my face turning redder by the second. She wouldn't move, so I sighed, pulling her into my arms and carrying her to the Gryffindor table.

"I really wish they'd stop with this. It's becoming quite ridiculous. As if Cora'd actually kill anyone," Will said menacingly, and Justin wrapped his arm around his boyfriend's shoulders.

"They don't know any better, man. But cheer up, it's Saturday! No gloom and doom today," Justin grinned, and Will rolled his eyes in response, clearly giving in. I felt myself smile too, a day of relaxation couldn't be that bad.

Then, all Merlin's fluffy bunny slippers broke loose.

The doors of the Hall opened again, revealing a barely recognizable Snape. His dingy black robes were now a blinding yellow, that seemed to emanate its own rays, paired with equally awful bubble-gum pink hair that still hung limp around his head.

"I DEMAND TO KNOW WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MONSTROSITY!" he yelled, the Great Hall erupting in laughs at the sound of his voice. No longer was it slimy and menacing, it sounded as though he had inhaled 500 Helium balloons, causing his voice to sound akin to that of a chipmunk's.

"As would I, Severus, as would I," Dumbledore said sagely, his eyes twinkling as he entered the hall. At his outfit, I did a double-take, erupting into raucous laughter. He sported what looked like leather pants, a tight black shirt with an outrageously spiked leather jacket on top, and thigh-high military boots. On top of all of that, he was sporting black eyeliner and lipstick, as well as 5 earrings per ear, and a lip piercing. Admittedly, he looked quite badass, but it was surreal, as though they were doppelgängers of the original. Will's mouth was wide open and Justin smirked at his plate, chewing thoughtfully on a piece of kipper.

"Whose idea was this?" I whispered, and he shrugged nonchalantly.

"This isn't even the half of it," he replied nodding surreptitiously.

Suddenly, the food on our plates vanished, replaced by whatever we craved most at that moment in time. Lex was staring into the mouth of a gaping roast pig, while a giant bowl of goop landed in front of Bex, who was snoring content on my shoulder.

The Great Hall remained silent, as the amused eyes of our Headmaster and the murderous ones of our Potions Master roved about, trying to connect with anyone who seemed even slightly guilty.

"Well, Severus, it appears we are on our own. As it is Saturday, I suggest you simply, as they put it, 'go with the flow'," Dumbledore declared and we erupted in loud applause.

Somewhere along the line, Bex had awoken and was eyeing the bowl with intent. Hesitantly, she dipped a finger in the mixture and placed it in her mouth, her eyes going wide.

"FUCKING LOVE APPLESAUCE!" she yelled maniacally, burying her face in the goop as the rest of the Hall dug in, Amber still refusing to eat.

I turned my head to the Slytherin table, which, not surprisingly, was glaring at me with venom. At the end of the table sat Lia, Alec and Aidan, the first of which had red rims around her eyes, despite the overwhelming plate of vetkoek in front of her. Aidan continued to try and talk to her, but she shook her head adamantly, before rising to leave the Great Hall, only to be impeded by the entrance of several more teachers, the most notable of which was Hagrid.

Hagrid had clearly picked up on the latest styles-his hair had been nearly shaved, leaving him with a short afro, and his immense beard tamed to a tiny goatee. He sported exceedingly baggy pants and an oversized sweater with graffiti print, under which we could see numerous gold chains glinting. It seemed, however, he was clutching his stomach in pain before belching loudly, releasing what looked like two rockets, which crashed into the ceiling in a shower of sparks.

We remained silent for a second, and my ears caught the sound of a wand moving, causing two giant explosions to occur above my head.

_"We interrupt this Saturday with a very important announcement. Firstly, you have all been drugged. We'd like to take this time to apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but we can assure you, you're certainly in for a laugh. Secondly, don't try to find us, Snape. If you even think about doing so, we can assure you it won't be pleasant. Thirdly, anyone with any valuable possessions currently being kept in the Slytherin Common Room, I suggest you all run. We highly doubt they'll continue to be usable after this. If anyone feels an inexplicable urge to burst into song, turn into a beaver and jump on a pogo stick, or discover their true selves, please do not repress it. This has been a sponsored message from the Jubilant Bloody Xylophones. LONG LIVE BANANAS!" _

"The Jubilant Bloody Xylophones? That's the best you could come up with?" I murmured at Justin and he grinned, gesturing above.

The sparks shone brightly and condensed before exploding one final time, in the shape of a sun, from which a roaring lion erupted, its eyes an uncanny blue. As the lion roared, a giant black snake erupted from its mouth, with eyes the color of lime juice, shooting itself into a figure at the Slytherin table.

Zach choked on his bite of pancake, his tongue erupting from his mouth and growing continuously as the words, "Traitor," and "Coward," tattooed themselves all over his skin.

"Brilliantly executed, I should say," Bex grinned, her head sporting a generous layer of applesauce as she glanced at Justin, who chuckled.

"The beaver on a pogo stick part was exquisite," he replied and she shrugged.

"All in a day's work," she mumbled, waving her wand to scourge the sauce from her hair.

Snape rushed forward, his head sweeping from side to side as he stood on a table, clearly looking for a culprit.

_"Now,__now,__that's__not__nice,__Snapey.__Don't__say__we__didn't__warn__you,"_ the voice said again, and Snape vanished beneath a cloud of smoke. Slowly, he reappeared, though this outfit was very different than the last.

His long robes were gone, now replaced by what seemed to be a superhero costume. Immediately, I recognized it, and bit back a barrage of laughter. He was now dressed as Bubbles, one of the Powerpuff Girls, from the infamous Muggle cartoon. Thankfully, someone had taken mercy on our innocence, giving him a pair of tight leggings to wear underneath, but they only reached his knees. His hair had also turned the same platinum blonde, and was held in place by two blue bows, each placed on the side of his head so his hair hung voluminously from two pigtails. Presently, his face had become animated, as well as the rest of his body, making him look as though he had leapt out of a television screen.

"Aw, hell no!" he exclaimed, but in a high-pitched voice laced with a Southern Redneck accent, dripping with attitude and sass. Glaring as only Snape could, he stormed out of the Hall, passing by Lia in his rage. As he passed her by, he shot her a look of venom, which she returned with a look of confusion.

"That was amazing! How did you do it?" Amber asked, her eyes shining with mirth.

"Secrets of the Trade, and all, sorry," Justin shrugged and I rolled my eyes.

"Seriously? You do realize if that bit of magic had gone even slightly wrong, you could have killed us all!" I objected, and he glared playfully.

"But it didn't, did it now? Relax, Core," he chastised me, and I sighed in defeat.

"APPLESAUCE FOR ALL!" Bex yelled, pouring us each a giant bowl.

Lia's POV

This was meant for me. Not that I minded, it was bloody hilarious, but it reminded of something too much. The second I saw Batman and that snake, I knew for certain.

What they didn't know, is that Zach wasn't the reason I was so depressed. No one did, Cora believed it was because of Draco. Maybe she was right, but it was truly Harry's fault.

Batman told me there was nothing I could do to stop Voldemort's rage, and his drive to kill my baby brother. I'd known him for 4 months, and he was going to die. Normally, this would have lead me to see him more often, but after the Yule Ball fiasco, I knew I couldn't return without Draco trying to seek me out. And I would let him, honestly. He was different than Zach in nearly every way, but yet so similar as well.

I ran out of the Great Hall, and into the DADA corridor. Raising my fist, I knocked on Jess' door and it opened, revealing my professor, clad in plaid flannel pants and a t-shirt.

"Morning to you too, Lia," she grinned, waving me in. "I heard that someone decided that Severus would be able to pull of Bubbles. Idiots."

"It was mentally scarring," I shook my head and sat on her couch. As usual, her office was exceedingly messy, papers and empty snack bags thrown about haphazardly.

"What is your dish of choice? I have..Doritos, Cheetos, Pringles, and popcorn," she rattled off merrily, and my eyes lit up.

"P-popcorn?" I stuttered warily and she grinned, pulling out a bag, and waving her wand at it and letting it pop behind her as she attempted to clean.

"So, how can I help you? By the looks of your eyes, this isn't merely a social visit," she said knowingly, and I chuckled darkly. I was close to my mum, but I hadn't heard from her in months. At Hogwarts, Jess acted as my surrogate mother of sorts, with the added bonus of her knowing magic and thus never forcing me to clean my room.

"I went back. To Harry and the other world," I admitted and she nodded, pouring the popcorn into a large bowl and covering it in butter and several other spices.

"What outrageously idiotic thing did Severus say?" she asked, and I raised an eyebrow. "Come on, Lia. You've ever missed an opportunity to mock at him, and yet you had barely anything to say about that. Clearly, Severus was a git, and said something stupid," she said sagely, rolling her eyes at my look of incredulity.

"He told me that Harry's going to die. And that there's nothing I can do about it," I whispered, and she wrapped her arms around me.

"Severus never understood the bond between siblings. He and Jo were never close, and, despite being Slytherin, tends to be bluntly honest to those he cares about," she glanced at her picture, nervously fiddling with her ring.

"There's more," I mumbled from under her arm and she nodded. "Have you ever been in love?" I asked and she froze, before crossing her legs under her.

"Once, a very long time ago. It's not a topic I like to talk about," she murmured, and I looked at her quizzically.

"That's why you wear that ring. He gave it to you, didn't he?" I asked and she nodded, cuddling into a ball.

"He did. At that time, he was my everything. A right failure at Potions, mind you, but so sweet and caring," she mused, a light smile caressing her features.

"What happened?" I inquired, and her smile fell dramatically.

"He was murdered," she answered simply, letting her hand fall by her side.

"There's this boy, in Harry's world. I can't stop thinking about him," I shook my head and she laughed. "What?"

"You remind me of me, when I denied my friends that I had fallen in love. Or when Cora denies she loves Aidan. It's endearing," she smirked and I giggled at her expression. "Who is he? Harry Potter is kind of my guilty pleasure-don't tell Severus, but he's my favorite," she laughed heartily, looking like a 5-year old caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"Draco," I admitted, and she stopped laughing, taking in my face.

"You fell for Draco Malfoy," she smiled widely, and I blushed wildly, nodding slightly.

"Harry took me as his date to the Yule Ball, and Draco saw me. He just wouldn't leave me be," I shrugged, and she sighed dreamily.

"I'd've done the same. He is a tough nut to crack, but you clearly got under his skin. And he got into your heart," she stated, and the door swung open, revealing Batman in his costume.

"Girl, you've gotta help me," he said, causing me to crack up, and Jess to choke on some Butterbeer.

"Whoever did this gets 100 House Points!" she exclaimed, clutching her sides in laughter.

"Come on, sister. Help a brother out!" he yelled and she shook her head.

"Severus, that is not the result of any spell I can recognize. And it's impervious to Finite Incantatem, otherwise you wouldn't be here. Now, just pull up a chair, we were just discussing your godson," Jess replied crossly, and Batman's eyes widened at me.

"I thought you didn't care for him," he asked dubiously, and Jess scoffed.

"Come on Severus. That's what every girl says when she's trying to avoid the subject. Have you never met a girl before?" she rolled her eyes, and he glared at her, placing two dainty hands on his hips.

"Girl, I've met more girls than you can count. And that's not just cuz ya can't count so high," he sassed, snapping his fingers in a Z-formation. "Mhmm," he added, swinging his hips to the side.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," Jess shuddered, and I laughed hysterically as he tried to glare us down.

"Batman. Why does Harry die?" I asked, and Jess sobered instantly, wrapping a steady arm around my shoulders.

"Neither can live while the other survives. The Dark Lord has done horrors you can not imagine in your worst nightmares, Lia. Harry will have to die, in order to kill him," Batman concluded, and Jess blew up.

"How can you tell her such a thing, Sev? Merlin's Beard, she's fifteen, and has gone through way more than anyone ever should! Can't you lie, for her sake, just once?" she yelled and he shook his head.

"To me, her mother will always be my Lily. It is because of her that I could love, and because of her that I could hate," he answered simply, not faltering under her gaze.

"It all goes back to Lily, doesn't it? Lia is not Lily, in case you haven't noticed," she replied harshly, but Snape shook her head.

"The world saw Lily as she wanted them to see her. I knew that she had a darker side, that she could be evil and just as intimidating as Lia. They are more alike than you will ever know," he whispered, and I stood angrily.

"Simply because I look like someone I have never known, does not mean I am like them! You don't see me, you see the ghost of the woman you loved! But I'm not her, Batman, she's gone! The only thing I have left in that world is Harry, and now you're telling me he'll die too? And that I can't do anything? You are WRONG! There damn well is something I can do about it, and I sure as hell will do something about it, even if it kills me!" I screamed, and he grabbed my arm as I tried to run.

"Your mother died saving him. He's just not worth it," Snape pleaded and I cursed him off my grip.

"Love means that you're wiling to sacrifice everything, even your life. No one has ever felt as much towards me as Harry has, Zach was proof of that. If it means my death, so be it. I'm not losing my baby brother. Not again," I vowed, storming out of the room and leaving them alone.

**A/N: Yes, this chapter is my longest, but you know you love it. Just picture Snape in a Powerpuff girl outfit whenever you're sad, it will fix everything. Please review, that would be the best Christmas present ever, knowing that my reviewers have not abandoned me because of my laziness. No, I do not love applesauce, but I am offering amazing meat and cabbage rolls as a reward(you know you want to, Leanna). For the bold, look up Herman Cain on UrbanDictionary, it is quite hilarious….I apologize if you are a Republican, but not even you can say he's a legitimate candidate for the most powerful man in the world. Come on! Enough of the rant, please review. Thank you guys so much if you kept up, and I've decided to open my account for requests, so if you guys have a request on any one-shot, whether it is in the Harry Potter or Hunger Games universe, please tell me. It keeps my quill sharp, and the inspiration flowing. No, requests will not hinder me from writing this further, don't worry. PM, or leave a review with you requests! Thank you! And Hugs!**


	49. The Return of the Empress

**A/N: Hello, dear readers. After a month of hard work, no snow and midterms, I have returned from the throes of obscurity. This chapter commences the end of the first chapter in our dear saga. However, I do feel the need to remind you that there will be a sequel. And the end will not reach us for another 10 chapters, so it's quite the premature warning. I've had several ideas for new stories that are still boiling over in my mind, but this is always my priority. I am so grateful that you guys have not abandoned me, even if I did not update for a month. It gives me faith in the world, truly. My deepest thanks to the Elves, Eternity'sEmbrace(I'm not dead! I resent that statement! As though someone as cool as me would die. But you succeeded in making me guilty. I hope the 26 page chapter makes up for it), SparklyLethifold, Bex H(I don't have to stay away from Herman Cain, he has to stay away from me. Ninja, remember?) and StormZeVeela(Yes, she can read these. This is what Mxit is for. Not to mention the mental images you have conjured in my head. And that accent is not French.) for leaving me such wonderful reviews. I now feel all warm on the inside. This chapter is a bit of a confusing one, so allow me to explain.**

**If you recall, Skye O. is a Traveler, just like Lia. Her alter-ego is Skyler Malfoy, the Empress of Shape-Shifters. That is fancy-speak for the fact that she controls all magical creatures. She is not my character, she is the sole property of SkyeElf, my insane, yet awesome, co-writer for this chapter. I highly encourage the curious to read her work, it is amazing, truly. I've had her readers tell me she is better than I am. Which I shall freely concede to. **

**So, without further ado, this chapter is dedicated to my amazing friend in Connecticut, who I have been recently talking with. She was my inspiration for Amber, and I only just got up the courage to ask her to read it. Thanks a ton, Caroline! **

**Suggested Soundtrack: Second Chance by Shinedown, Hero by Skillet, and Saviour by Black Veil Brides. Perhaps even Breath by Breaking Benjamin. **

Skye O.'s POV

The corridors were dark and ominous. From behind the doors, one could hear sounds that didn't belong into the atmosphere of the Hogwarts night, but I was too weary to chastise them for it. After all, we only had so much time left in the world.

Patrolling was one of my bêtes noires, a thing I was always dreaded as Prefect. Annika sagely blamed it on the fact that Leo was my male counterpart, but I adamantly refused. He was nothing to me, no more than the bloody love of my life really. Some life I must have...

"Ghosts are transparent," I heard the ever so irritating voice in my head say. It was Night, the saviour of the other world. The Empress, who had everything.

"What do you want, Night?" I replied bitterly, my head already beginning to ache dully. Ever since she had come to our world, any connection with her had hurt...and severely disturbed me. Any mental innocence I still possessed was gone, never to return.

"To change places for a while," she said drearily, and I caught a dejected tone in her voice I hadn't heard in her voice since she was little, an orphan.

"Why on Earth would I do that?" I countered angrily, waving my wand around the corner to check if anyone was around. Frankly, I hated her world, not that I liked this one any more.

"Please?" she pleaded, a hint of desperation in her request. Rolling my eyes, I sat against the wall, the world already beginning to spin.

"You do realise that ever since you and your husband went on that stupid honeymoon I haven't been able to sleep?" I spat, remembering the images that had flashed in my head with a shudder. I was envious, I knew it, but it wasn't as though I'd let her know that.

"That's not my fault if you're too curious to keep out, Electric," she smirked, and my blood boiled. Night was my other half, meaning it was normal for us to fight like dogs. Just like water and hot oil, we don't mix, we were simply forced together.

"Oh, you think I was curious, do you? The connection goes both ways, right? Just like in extreme situations you hear my thoughts, the same way I can read yours. And I don't want to know the details of your various fraternizations with Malfoy, thank you very much," I replied angrily, my hands instinctively going to my hips, as they always did when I chastised or yelled at someone.

"Hey! I built a wall against you! I haven't heard your thoughts. Perhaps you should consider the same. But if you want me to leave, I will. Then you can explain to Cora why I further refuse to enter your world. And, believe me Electric; I will lock you out with the help of every Legilimens I get. And that leaves you on the bad side of the Newid. How does that sound? Yeah, I'm not above blackmail. I've killed, Electric. It's horrible. I don't want Cora to go through that," she said scathingly, her tone as venomous as a snake's. Fear crept into my heart, and I shook slightly.

"Oh, gosh, it's happened, hasn't it? Just you said it would… fuck, I'm sorry, I didn't know! That explains why I've been so distracted lately; my mind was subconsciously with you, helping you. Okay, I'll help, what do you need?" I asked frantically, my mind piecing together the pieces of the puzzle. I'd been given detention by Snape at least 5 times, for not being focused during class.

"Just let me through for a few days. Goodness only knows what'll happen if I go any more. I don't pretend to have false modesty. I know exactly how much my world needs me. Seriously, consider building that wall against me," she repeated, causing me to scoff, a cloud of steam coming out of my mouth as I shivered against the wall.

"You want to come here? But why? And it's not exactly as if I can compartmentalise my emotions like that. I'm no Slytherin, Skye!" I retorted angrily, and I could feel her rolling her eyes.

"Honestly? I need a break," she replied, causing me to raise an eyebrow out of instinct. The fierce, unstoppable EMPRESS needed a break?

"What do you mean you need a break? Although, we do kind of need you. It's just…" I trailed of, realising that I should have kept my mouth shut in the first place.

"Spit it out, Electric," she said, irritated, and I sighed. I hated that name, but I couldn't bring myself to care less.

"It's them. Cora and Lia and Aves. I mean, I get that Cora is kind of struggling, especially since that whole fiasco. She thinks she's going to kill us all," I admitted, wrapping my arms around my waist. In truth, I was scared. Cora was our leader, and it bloody terrified me that she could break down like this. She tried to possess no support pillar, believing we would be damned to help her, and as much as she may act like she doesn't need one, she certainly does.

"Let me through," she insisted and I gnawed at my inner cheek in thought.

"I don't know, Night. News of the battle may panic her even further. She's become practically anti-social, and Cora is a people person," I argued adamantly, remembering our very first meetings, when she seemed so bubbly and carefree. In the span of several months, she had matured to have the demeanour of a middle-aged man. She still laughed, but her eyes didn't shine as much as they used to, and when they did, it was either out of anger or joy for her friends, who seemed to be doing quite well.

"And if she found out you knew without telling her? Honestly, Electric. And would you stop calling me Night? I'm Malfoy, as you full well know," she bit back, a fact I found quite odd. She had seemed so dejected on the subject of her perfect relationship earlier, and now she insisted upon its existence.

"Well sorry. I've known you as Skye Night my entire life, so I'll keep calling you that. But you're right, as much as I hate to admit it. Give me about a minute your time, okay?" I demanded, jumping to my feet and looking about for a quick path to the Gryffindor Common Rooms. Ever since Zach's bastard martyrdom admission, Lia had begun spending as much time as possible in the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw Common Rooms, preferring the company of people who cared above the company of Slytherins who, Alec and Aidan aside, she now had no defence against.

"Whatever," she replied bitterly, and I began running down the corridors and up several flights of stairs. Snoozing portraits and ghosts cursed at me, a fact that should have been wholly expected. My bitterness towards Night in reserve, I could tell she was hurting, and it was Draco's fault. She'd helped me, without knowing it, for ages now, and it was high time I repaid the favour.

Finally, I reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, who was, thankfully, sleeping deeply instead of attempting to serenade us with her dulcet tones.

"Wake up! I need to see Cora," I yelled, shaking her out of her slumber moodily.

"There is no need to yell. My hearing has not yet been impaired," she replied grumpily. "Password?" she asked snootily, and I wrung my hands in frustration. I was Ravenclaw, but my memory was an absolute menace under times of duress, not to mention when my head was pounding with a migraine.

"Blossom," I responded, remembering with a shock. She nodded, and the portrait swung open, allowing me to climb in deftly.

The Common Room was lit only by the light of the glowing fire. On the plush sofa, Cora sat cross-legged, reading from that book of hers, as always. Beside her, sitting in equal silence was Lia, her nose uncharacteristically buried into a novel, her eyes perusing it deftly. Yet again, her eyes were rimmed with tears, and she'd occasionally take a bitter bite of her salty Biltong.

"Guys," I panted, and they raised their heads in eerie unison.

"Hey, Skye. What's wrong?" Cora asked softly, as though she were afraid of my answer.

"It's Night. She wants to come through. The Battle, it's happened," I replied ominously, and Lia jumped off the couch.

"Let her through! What are you waiting for?" she yelled, but I stared at Cora, who was gnawing her lip stubbornly.

"Why does she really want to come?" Cora asked, and I sighed. She had, yet again, sensed my aura, and she knew there was more.

"She said she needed a break," I admitted and Cora scoffed in response, something entirely unlike her to do.

"And coming here is better?" Lia wondered dubiously, and I nodded.

"From what I can tell, it's personal. Something to do with Malfoy," I explained, and Lia blanched.

"Skye, I know you hate that world, but please let her through. It won't be for an exceedingly long amount of time, and I'll promise I'll attack Leo later if you will," she pleaded and I nodded.

"Cora?" I asked, and she hugged me tightly.

"I'm so sorry-" she began, but I cut her off.

"Put a sock in it, Core. You don't need to apologise, I owe Night anyways. You can see that," I insisted and she grinned demurely.

"I try," she rolled her eyes, and I re-opened the connection to her world.

"Night?" I called tentatively, feeling the venom in Night's thoughts.

"What?" she spat in return, and I flinched obviously,

"They're ready for you," I said stoically, only to be followed by a derisive snort on her part.

"Don't say it in such a dramatic voice, Electric; it's not as if this is a horror movie," she replied mockingly. _Maybe to you it isn't._

"Chill, Night," I stated, and her laughter rang through my ears.

"Oh, I will be chill," she said venomously, and I flinched yet again. Clearing my head, I thought only of her world, causing an unpleasant sensation, akin to that of being wrapped by 1000 snakes, spread throughout my body. Thus, I was flung into the Bitch of Britain's world.

Cora's POV

I couldn't believe it. It was eerie enough that I had become so utterly dejected, on the brink of depression, but that Skye Night, the toughest thing alive, had as well, was too much of a coincidence for my personal taste. The book had spoken of how a Newid, or more specifically, me, was tied to the essence of magic itself, but I wasn't aware that my emotions could do the same. Honestly, I thought I could just be sad, and that wouldn't hurt anyone. Everything I did hurt someone, somewhere.

Suddenly, Skye's figure was replaced by that of her counterpart, though she looked vastly different from when we saw her last. Her face was ridden with worry, and I detected an odd sound, the second beating of a heart overlapping hers. Shaking it off as a malfunction of my overly powerful hearing, I turned to the stairs, where Amber had descended.

"The Empress is here," she said simply, and I nodded. Lia's face was devoid of any emotion, but her aura exuded desperation and angst as her eyes roamed over Skye's arms and neck. They were littered with bruises, just like Aves.

Slowly, she opened her eyes, and a chill went through me. They were not human, anymore, the pupils of her eyes very different from the black they should be.

"Hi, everyone," she greeted us, forcing a too-wide grin onto her face. She wasn't doing well at all.

"Hey, Skye," I replied, feeling a smile light up my face with shock. Despite her state, I was happy to see her. Skye was the one who reminded me I wasn't alone, that I would never truly be alone in the world, and that thought was my salvation. I hugged her tightly, perhaps a little too tightly, but she returned it nevertheless, her eyes showing some sign of life.

As soon as I pulled away, Lia stepped up, she too forcing a smile on her face as she hugged her lightly. They were hurting for similar reasons, if not identical ones.

Amber stepped up next, choosing to smile demurely, and curtsy gently, a sight somewhat amusing, as she was wearing a pair of guy's shorts and an oversized tee.

"How long are you here for, Skye?" I asked nervously, and she set down an old backpack, though the binding was still impeccable.

"A few. Hopefully I can get some teaching done, a bit of combat never did anyone any harm," she answered half-heartedly, and I couldn't help but wonder what she had gone through. Last time, she was still of the opinion that combat was inevitable, but she could at lest understand my reasons for avoiding it. Now, her aura was adamant, and I knew she wouldn't back down.

"Shall we go immediately to Dumbledore?" I inquired impatiently. The question, the one that could change everything, was gnawing at the back of my head. Only Jo could answer it, and considering her new state of health, I highly doubted that Dumbledore would let her out of his sight.

In response, Skye nodded furiously, but I felt her thoughts speed up tenfold. My skills did not yet allow me to read minds, but I could get the general sense of what she was thinking about. In short, she was anxious, Dumbledore was dead in her world, after all.

"As long as he doesn't propose to me," she agreed, and I snickered behind my hand. Her sense of humour was odd in itself, but it was bloody brilliant to witness.

"What?" Lia asked, her eyes narrowed in confusion, causing Skye to sigh exasperatedly.

"Never mind. Let's go," she insisted, slinging her bag over her shoulder, and gesturing to the portrait hole.

Amber bowed slightly, shrugging my way, and smiled again. "I'll see you later, Empress; I need to go check on Aves," she sent me a look, and I suddenly remembered the date. March 31st. It was Aves' birthday, and though we had all celebrated it during the past CA meeting, we all knew it was no matter of celebration. Tonight, we were all on guard, and each of us had planned on taking turns to make sure she'd be safe, though that seemed presently unnecessary, as Alec was spending the night with her in the Common Room. Amber had, however, explained to us that as soon as she transformed, there'd be a greater chance for us to be attacked, so Cassandra's Army, or at least the majority of it, was staying awake in the Room of Requirement, just in case.

"All right. If you need any help, I'm here," Skye consented, another wide smile spreading across Amber's face.

"Always. How's he doing?" she asked, looking at her Empress from under her messily cut bangs.

"Happy. He's got his sister back. And I hope Sage controls his mood swings," she admitted, before turning to leave the Common Room. Amber allowed her through first, before splitting from us and climbing the stairs to Ravenclaw Tower.

We walked through the hallways in complete silence, something I had gotten used to, though it still bothered me. Mum had always told me that I should be myself, no matter what, but my old self would have never behaved like this. When I had first read Harry Potter, I dreamt of saving the world, just like Harry, Ron and Hermione had. I only realised now what a mistake that had been, and why Harry loathed being the Chosen One.

Last time Skye was here, Lia was ecstatic, exuberant to the point of being rude, and yet now she was merely walking several feet behind us, her head hung in thought. I may be doing poorly, emotionally speaking, myself; Lia was, without a doubt, doing much worse. She was tough, and exceedingly independent, and the second she had opened her heart to someone, they broke her. And the one person that had never, and would never hurt her, would die himself at the hands of one of the most deplorable people alive.

At long last, we reached the study. Tentatively, I placed a hand on the gargoyle and muttered a single word, Dumbledore's password. It was dangerously obvious, but also heartwarming. "Jo."

The gargoyle flew up, though how that was even possible was beyond me, and the door appeared. It never ceased to amaze me, the simple beauty of magic. Smiling softly, I placed my hand on the gems, which were inset into the door. The gems turned into the ever majestic roaring lion, though I doubted if that truly did represent my soul still. Behind me, I felt Skye smirk, musing to herself about how Gryffindor it was of me.

"Welcome to Dumbledore's study," I grinned, gesturing inside, but feeling an idiot for saying so. As the Empress, I was sure that she had seen Dumbledore's office before, and yet such a gesture had seemed so natural.

Inside his study, Jo and Dumbledore were arguing fervently, and I sensed the tension between them growing.

"It isn't safe!" Jo insisted, supporting herself on his desk. Pregnancy suited her, her stomach slightly round, but not visibly so, and her face was glowing healthier than ever. She had certainly been beautiful before, but now she was gorgeous, unfathomably so. Without a doubt, my mother would be the same.

"I know, Jo, I'll tell her," Dumbledore soothed her gently, placing his thin hands against Jo's face, causing her to smile and relax.

Glancing back, I saw Skye staring, open-mouthed, at the openly affectionate pair, though seemingly trying to look away, but her curiosity was getting the best of her.

"Hello, Professor. May I introduce Skye Malfoy, the Empress of Shape-Shifters," I cleared my throat, and Jo whirled around, staring blankly in Skye's general direction. Dumbledore kept his arm possessively around her waist and my heart warmed at the site of them.

"Okay… why… Huh? Why…" Skye stuttered nervously, before coughing loudly ad attempting to smile brightly. "Morning," she waved slightly, causing Lia to chuckle silently at the look on her face.

"Good morning, my dear. Why have you chosen to come?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes sparkling merrily as always. I saw Skye attempting, with difficulty, not to stare at him, though she failed epically, for all intents and purposes. After all, he was dead in her world, and the idea that he was truly standing in front of her, alive, must be somewhat of a shock to her already frail demeanour.

"To talk," she answered, before frowning, her aura reddening in embarrassment as she realised how it sounded. "And help," she added quickly, her pale face blushing furiously.

"That is the most noble of intentions. What I wish to know, is why Cora has brought you here?" Dumbledore asked, and I bit my lip in response. Admitting to the reason would decrease any faith they may have in me, as it would be admitting to not being able to save the world. As ridiculous as it could sound to others, leaders throughout history never showed weakness, and here I was, breaking down into tears nearly every day. I was weak, and I hated it.

"Ditto," Skye said, a visible frown line appearing between her eyes. Shaking my hesitation off, i stepped forward and stared defiantly at Jo, knowing she was the only one who couldn't see me at all.

"I brought Skye, because of what she means. Jo, I can't put her in danger. You know why," I replied stubbornly, and Skye shook her head in response. Jo raised her eyebrow at Dumbledore, and he whispered into her ear.

"I know what lies ahead of me, and I'll face it. No matter what happens, I'll die," Skye stated bluntly, and I glanced at her in shock. Her fighting spirit, her drive to live, it was all gone. On the inside, she was dead already.

"What?" Lia nearly shouted, using her voice for the first time. Her face was etched in fear, and her eyes wide, as though she was trying to cry, but didn't have enough tears for the job.

"Death is inevitable," Skye nearly breathed, barely any timbre in her voice. Even I struggled slightly to hear her voice.

"That doesn't mean you deserve to die. I… we need you," Lia cried, the tears yet again flowing freely. All the tears she had bottled up inside her for years were spilling out, and I feared that if she didn't stop soon, we'd never see her smile again.

"I don't plan on dying soon, Lia, I've still got a long way to go," Skye replied, placing a thin hand on Lia's trembling shoulder. Just like Skye, Lia was a ghost of her former self, this war having changed us all, without exception. Some of us were simply better at hiding it.

"You'd better, or I'll kill you myself," Lia threatened, one of her famous cheeky smirks crossing her face.

"That's heartwarming," Skye said sarcastically, and Lia's face fell again, pulling her shoulder away from Skye's hand.

"I'm not in a heartwarming mood," Lia replied bitterly, a dark look in her eyes.

Skye sighed. "Sarcasm, learn to recognise it," she spat, and Lia looked ready to pounce.

"Can we get back to the problem at hand?" I inquired, doing my best to glare them down.

"Hmm… red eyes from her," Skye mused, pointing to Lia, "and you glaring… Tell me about the problem," Skye insisted, crossing her arms across her chest and giving me the impenetrable look that only a Snape could pull off successfully.

"That's not why I brought you here, so we'll talk later. Skye told us about the battle, and I want to know what that means, Jo," I demanded, looking hesitantly at Jo, who suddenly had her eyes on the ground. "You said there was one enemy we'd all be fighting. Was it Voldemort? Is it over?" I asked desperately, and Jo raised her head, shaking it slowly. Her head moved like the pendulum of a clock, oscillating back and forth, ringing the final bells of hope in my heart.

My breath caught in my throat as my hand covered my mouth. If it wasn't over now, it never would be.

"And it's not Merope either. She and Voldemort are from my world; your enemy must come from this world," Skye said tentatively, as though afraid of me collapsing. She was right, as usual, I felt like I was on the edge of a cliff, nothing but turmoil ahead of me, and peace only in what lay behind me.

"It's someone inside this very school," Jo admitted, followed by a heavy sigh, with which Dumbledore pulled her even closer.

"Which is terrifying, thank you very much, Miss?" Skye snapped venomously, stepping forward boldly to wrap an arm around my shoulders, which I only realised now, had been trembling furiously.

"Jo. Joanne Rowling. She's my Seer," I replied, though I knew she was so much more than that. Skye pulled me closer, laying a consoling hand on my wild curls. Even in her state of mind, she was still acting sister-like towards me, a fact I greatly appreciated.

"I see," Skye said, nodding her head in though. "Pun not intended. Miss-" she began, before removing her hand from my shoulders rapidly, a look of repulsion on her features.

"Whoa!" Skye nearly yelled, forgetting her previously begun sentence. "Could you two attempt to control your thoughts?" she demanded Dumbledore and Jo.

To everyone's surprise, Dumbledore blushed scarlet, looking at the floor in bashfulness.

"We apologise. Maybe you should get some sleep, Jo," he smiled at the woman beside him and placing a hand on her stomach soothingly.

"I second that notion. Honestly…" Skye shook her head in disbelief, clearly trying her best to suppress intense laughter.

Jo glared at Dumbledore, her hands placed defiantly on her hips. "Don't you tell me what to do, Dumbledore!" she said indignantly, sounding a lot like Snape in his sassy mode.

"Okay, Dumbledore, why don't you go to bed?" Skye suggested, trying to break the tension, though the aura of the couple was more playful, among other things, than anything else.

"Miss Malfoy, I would highly appreciate it if you did not interfere. After all, it's not as if you and your husband's thoughts are any better," Dumbledore objected, leading Skye to incline her head in guilty admission of the truth.

"Point taken, but, please, we're talking about something serious here – and you two think of… just, no," Skye stuttered, shuddering at their thoughts. I couldn't even pick them all apart, but I could get the general idea. Without a doubt, they would never get bored with each other, and even if their thoughts disturbed me somewhat, especially Dumbledore's, it gave me faith. It had taken them decades to finally get up the nerve to be together, and they were the epitome of a happy couple.

Behind Skye, Lia shot me a smirk, and I replied in kind, trying my best not to laugh.

Skye began giggling furiously. "This is a room full of weird thoughts…" she mused, before whirling around to face Lia, who seemed to be deep in thought. "What do you mean you wonder how Draco kisses?" she demanded angrily, causing Lia to do the unthinkable: she blushed like a tomato.

"Um… I'd rather not talk about that now," Lia muttered, leaving Skye to raise a thin eyebrow, but nod reluctantly.

"But we will talk." Skye turned back to the adults, who were exchanging amused looks at our antics. "So…"

"Yes, let us proceed," Dumbledore agreed cheerily, reading her thoughts, assisting Jo into one of the plusher armchairs, where Mae immediately jumped up and snuggled into Jo's lap. "You said there was a battle. That means Voldemort is gone, at least there," Dumbledore stated, silting on the armrest beside Jo.

"Yep. And there was a brief discussion on him and his underwear choices. But both him and his garters are now gone," Skye grinned, the image scarring me permanently.

"Please let us avoid mention of his garters in public. I have a meal or two to hold down," Jo groaned, placing a hand on her stomach. Seeing this, Skye narrowed her eyes, before beaming brightly. I sensed Skye calming down, and realised that she had only now heard the rapid beating of a baby's heart.

"Right you are, ma'am. And the Ministry has fallen again. Kingsley isn't dead, though," Skye explained thoughtfully.

"That is good, but what of your real enemy?" Jo asked, tucking her legs underneath her.

"Her? She's probably proclaimed herself Queen of… whatever by now," Skye replied, shrugging nonchalantly.

"And why have you come? I assume this is no mere social visit," Jo inquired, her eyes wider than usual.

"Actually, it sort of is. I felt a… a sort of tug towards this place," Skye admitted, though I sensed from her aura that she was avoiding something. I'd ask her about what had happened later.

"The Universe has given you a duty to fulfil. Cassandra always did love to meddle," Jo mused, the ever familiar knowing smile on her face. At the mention of Cassandra, my fists clenched, something Lia was quick to notice, and she sent me a reassuring smile.

"Well, Universe… Hi, I guess…" Skye waved lightly, and I laughed bitterly.

"She is also not the most social of people. She prefers the more blunt approach: shoving the weight of the world on your shoulders!" I yelled at the ceiling, something that seemed to be a more regular occurrence as of late. Carefully, Skye wrapped an arm around my shoulder, causing my heart rate to slow yet again.

"It seems you three have a lot to catch up on. Albus?" Jo raised a sloping eyebrow at her love. Smiling at her, Dumbledore arranged his glasses on his crooked nose. "I shall arrange for your sleeping quarters. Have you any preferences?" he asked politely, and Skye blushed slightly.

"Nothing pink," she insisted, and Jo laughed at her response merrily.

"That can be arranged. Phineas? Please tell Sir Cadogan to make his way to the fifth floor corridor, the painting of the forests. Miss Malfoy, your quarters shall be set. For now, you'll be here under the guise of Care of Magical Creatures Apprentice - " at this Skye looked disappointed "- Hagrid will be happy to meet you. Is there anything else?" Dumbledore inquired of Skye,

Glancing back, I spotted Lia lowering her head, her near-black hair falling over her face. Skye inclined her head slightly, and I had a feeling she could see us, even though she was facing away.

"Can I have Cora and Lia with me? Though only if they want to," she asked. I couldn't believe it, and it was clear that neither could Lia, as we shared a disbelieving look.

"Are you sure?" Lia asked tentatively, as though afraid of rejection. "Cora isn't the lightest sleeper…"

Glaring at her, I delivered a light punch to Lia's shoulder, causing Dumbledore to roll his eyes, and Jo to merely laugh lightly.

"I'm a deep sleeper." I stated stubbornly. "Plus, some genius invented Silencing Charms," I glared again at Lia, who winked playfully.

In response, Dumbledore glanced nervously at Jo, but she glared him down. A silent agreement passed between them, and Dumbledore turned to us again. "Of course, girls, I'll have Abra move your things." I watched, stunned, as he stuck his tongue out at Jo childishly, causing her to merely grin in return.

"Aw…" Skye exclaimed softly, turning away. Her aura turned melancholy, and I saw that seeing them very nearly broke her heart.

"Yeah. They're sappier than Lex and Jack," Lia rolled her eyes, but her eyes smiled at the pair anyways. Sensing Skye's melancholy and Lia's envy, Jo merely smiled genially, and shrugged nonchalantly.

"Albus and I have been dancing around each other for too long. Besides, why should one grow up at heart, when one can be as carefree as a child forever? We create our own burdens," she said sagely, though I couldn't disagree with her more. I most certainly could not be carefree as a child; too many people would die as a result. People would die anyways really, and I felt Skye's narrowed eyes on my back.

"Aren't humans good at that?" she commented with spite, looking down at her ragged and worn clothing. "I, uh… probably should put up some Glamour Charms?" she stuttered, and Jo shook her head.

"There is no reason for that. No one knows of you here," she explained, and I shot Lia a meaningful look. Lia widened her eyes in response and gestured shiftily at the couple again.

"Okay… I'll then just have to avoid shape-shifters at all cost," Skye said hesitantly, and even Dumbledore looked apprehensively at his love.

"That choice is yours alone. Seth!" Jo yelled. Seth appeared out of nowhere, and my fists clenched involuntarily. Lia shot him her best glare, one that killed with venom.

"Did I miss something?" Skye asked us, clearly confused by our reactions.

"Later." I growled, my hands feeling tingly again.

"Seth, could you show Miss Malfoy to the guest quarters, please?" Dumbledore asked cordially, looking from Seth to an area behind me, where I supposed Skye was standing, though I couldn't see her. "And, Miss Malfoy, could you possibly climb off my coatrack?" One eyebrow raised quizzically, I turned around, to see a bewildered Skye clutching onto a wooden coatrack for dear life.

"You things are dangerous!" she snarled at the inanimate object. Both Lia and me were biting back laughter, while the adults merely shook their heads, clearly thinking Skye to be insane. Which she was, bloody barmy at that.

"Okay, ghost boy, let's go," Skye declared, trying to smile at Seth, but not being able to do so, for some odd reason.

"The name is Seth, thank you very much!" he snapped indignantly at her, floating through the door. Clearly, they shared a mutual dislike of one another, even if they had never met.

"Hm… perhaps that was the wrong nickname… it should have stayed in my head," Skye muttered to herself, and Lia smiled bashfully at Dumbledore before heading out herself.

We walked the corridors in silence, memories of the argument between Seth and I running through my mind. In front of me, Skye and Lia looked equally immersed in thoughts not pleasantly mentioned among friends, so I remained silent. I looked out the window, and saw naught but the night, darker than it usually was, though we were under a cloudless sky. The stars could not be seen, and I thought I saw a flash of orange in the distance, but it had disappeared as soon as I saw it.

"Can I talk to you?" he asked me. Reluctantly, I nodded, but gestured for the rest to continue without me."I'll meet you inside," I assured them and Skye shot me a forced smile before walking inside grandly. Even in times of duress, she looked like royalty, as though she had been born to lead.

"What do you want, Seth?" I spat, and he rushed in front of me. "You made it clear last time that you didn't approve. Have you anything left to say?" I asked spitefully, and he looked ready to tear his hair out.

"Yes, I do. Cora, I'm sorry-" he began, but I cut him off with a wave of my hand. Odd, I didn't know I could do that, but it could certainly come in handy for the future.

"Spare me the theatrics. I can tell when you're lying. But it's okay, Seth. I don't need your approval," I glared, releasing his voice once again.

"I'm not giving you my approval. And I'm not lying either. What I said, it was unfair, and I was just acting on an impulse," he explained, making me see scarlet.

"Your impulse was to tell me that I was a coward? That I'd kill everyone by trying not to kill everyone?" I said dubiously and he winced at my words, though I paid that no mind. "That wasn't enough for you, though. You insulted my friends, accused me of being a skank-" I continued but he sent me a look that plainly told me I should be quiet.

"I shouldn't have done that, but you have to understand. Ghosts, we may not be able to drink, but we can get drunk. It was the anniversary, of that day," he admitted, his face ashamed but I shook my head.

"So you're an angry drunk. That won't cut it. Aves can barely look at Alec, and I haven't left the Common Room in a week. Lex has told my mum that I've become a hermit, and my mum has a tendency to overreact. All because you had too much to drink. A drunk still has emotions, I've witnessed that firsthand. Don't tell me you couldn't control yourself, Seth. I'm not depressed because I'm not, and I quote, 'getting any', I'm depressed because the enemy knows everything now. I haven't set up any meetings with more than one other person, and that's generally Lia, Aves or Will. And, to top it all off, the person I love is going to die. Yes, Seth, that's what I saw in the flames of the snake. Aidan will die, and not even I can stop that," I cried, and he wrapped me in his freezing arms.

"I know, Cora. That's why I'm here," he whispered into my ear and I pulled away.

"What do you mean?" I asked nervously, and he chuckled at the look on my face.

"I cannot tell you. Unfortunately, Cassandra has insisted you learn this on your own," he sighed, and I tried to push him away, before realising I could not do so, as he was not corporeal.

"You can tell me, but you choose not to do so. Goodbye, Seth. Have a nice Afterlife," I spat, and opened the door, closing it behind me in a fury. Sobbing silently, I collapsed against the wall to let out my emotions before joining my sisters once more.

Lia's POV

We entered the quarters in silence, and I looked around. It was slightly smaller than the Gryffindor Common Room, and generally decorated in blacks, reds and silvers. Apparently, the room was meant to match our individual tastes. The fire roared in the stone hearth at the centre of the room, and Cora would certainly appreciate the pillowed alcove by the window, perfect for reading, or sketching, for that matter.

"So…" Skye began awkwardly, but I had spotted the swerving stairs ahead, leading to three rooms, just begging to be explored.

"Let's just check out the rooms first, okay?" I suggested, my eyes lighting up in excitement. Out of all people, Skye had chosen Cora and me to accompany her, and that bated my sadness somewhat.

"Yeah… Okay…" she murmured, looking disappointed. My spirits fell, and I stemmed my flame of excitement as we climbed the stairs, and opened the door to the first room.

Without a doubt, this was Cora's room, a fact we confirmed by sending covert, but small smiles to each other. It was done entirely in red and gold, multiple windows facing the bed from the right. The left side was covered in bookshelves, as well as Cora's broom and a Beater's Bat. Ominously, I stared at the chest in front of her bed, recognising it to be identical to Lex's. It brought back bad memories, and I closed the door, gesturing for us to climb further.

The next was decorated in the classic Slytherin manner: silver and a vivid emerald covered every surface. However, the bed was host to dozens of pinned-up sketches, indicating that this room was to be mine. I noticed the desk was littered with various art supplies: pencils, charcoal and several smudging sticks. Skye sent me another small smile, and I closed the door surreptitiously, not wanting her to begin inspecting my drawings.

Continuing on, we reached the top of the stairs, where a great stained-glass window accompanied the door. I glanced at it carefully, and noticed that it portrayed a figure whose face consistently changed. Skye seemed undeterred, and swung her door open. Like mine, this was also decorated in silver and green, though in place of the drawings lay a single stuffed ostrich, its yellow eyes bulging eerily from its head. With disdain, Skye picked it up, sending it a chilling glare, and set it down calmly on the windowsill, though I saw the bones of her hand stick out from under the pale skin.

"This is me," Skye gestured to me elegantly. I realised I was still standing in the doorway, and quickly walked in, deciding to simply sit on the desk by the door. It held a single picture, one of a group of people who were all smiling cheerily. The one in the centre was Skye, and with a pang, I understood that the man next to her was Draco, who had his arm wrapped tightly, possessively around her waist. On her other side stood a fairly petite girl, her dark brown hair reaching to the small of her back and her bright blue eyes twinkling knowingly, much like Cora's did when she knew something we didn't. Beside the girl stood another man, though he looked more aged than the others, by his amber eyes, which held a certain weariness. Despite that, he looked ecstatic to be beside her, and he held her close to his chest. In the corner stood an odd pair, who seemed to be arguing about who was going to hug whom. One was tall, with sandy-chestnut hair and faint scar, the other slightly shorter, with ink-black hair and bright green eyes that looked at me mischievously. Everyone in the image seemed worry-free, but something told me it really was not truly so.

"So… who? What? Why? And can I kill him?" Skye interjected suddenly, taking a seat on her bed, one leg tucked beneath the other."Or her?" she quickly added, and I could only smile to myself. It seemed like we were identical at times, even if we really did not know much about each other.

"You know, it's really weird that you can read me like this," I muttered, attempting to change the subject. She looked weary, and her ring was missing; I did not think it to be wise for me to mention Draco.

"I'm really weird in general," she replied simply, shrugging her thin shoulders. Unconsciously, my eyes flashed to the bit of skin she had just revealed by doing so, which bore red marks, similar to those that once littered Aves' skin.

"No shit. Where do you want me to start?" I asked, choosing to return to the subject when Cora was around. Somehow, she understood Skye on a deeper level than I could.

"With the answers to my numerous questions," she answered, a fiendish smirk gracing her features.

"Then you should tell us the questions," Cora smirked, entering the room stealthily. Her eyes were weary, but a grin lit up her face as she saw Skye. She crossed over to the formerly mentioned and hugged her tightly. Skye seemed stunned, but hugged her in return anyways, placing a motherly hand on Cora's mane.

"Who? What? Why? And can I kill him or her?" she asked, her eyes boring into my own. Immediately, I raised my shield, not allowing her to pierce my thoughts as an assault of Legilimency was sent my way.

"I don't think you want to kill your own husband, Skye," I admitted drearily, and her eyes widened in surprise, while her hand unconsciously rubbed the spot where her ring had once lain.

"Draco? What did he do this time?" she inquired sharply, emitting a deep sigh. Cora walked to the centre of the room, and increased the fire in the boiler with a lazy wave of her hand, before collapsing in front of it gracefully, her head leaning against the hot metal surface.

"Well, it wasn't just him. See, Zach was acting really weird for a while, and then I got a tip that there was a traitor in the army. So I told Cora, and we checked everyone. They were clean, but Zach… he'd been cutting himself, and-" I stopped, the tears finding their way to my eyes once again. Odd, I didn't think my tear ducts were functional anymore. Without delay, Cora raised herself from the ground, wrapping her arm around my shoulder.

"He blamed her. In front of everyone," she concluded for me, the hatred evident in her voice. Silently, Skye stood from her bed, and began rummaging around the room, clearly looking for something.

"Well, then, that settles it, doesn't it? Will one of you please be so kind as to hand me my rucksack?" she requested, pointing at the bag under the desk, between Cora and I.

"What are you doing?" I asked her warily, recognising that glint in her eye.

"Looking for the bottle of Shazmage I promised the old bat," she replied innocently, as though that was the most natural thing in the world. Releasing me from her grip, Cora pulled a purple bottle out of the ragged rucksack, and handed it to me, an eyebrow raised.

"Skye, what are you really going to do?" she catechised, as I walked over to Skye, handing her the bottle with hesitation.

"Something I would rather not disclose, seeing as you might try and stop me," she countered, her hand going to the hilt of her wand.

The temperature dropped several degrees, and I whirled around, seeing Cora's eyes narrowed dangerously, and an intensely deep ultramarine.

Suddenly, Skye froze, her mouth slack in shock and her eyes ominously wide.

"I'm gonna…" she muttered, before her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she collapsed on the ground, her head narrowly missing the metal boiler.

At once, the temperature rose and Cora stood up frantically, her eyes returning to the dull blue-grey they held at this time.

"Skye!" she yelled, running her hands through her hair.

"What did you do?" I screamed, falling to my knees beside the now still Skye.

"I was just trying to get her to talk. Oh, Gods above, I've killed her. It's happened," Cora exclaimed, blasting the door open and sprinting out furiously.

Forthwith, Skye sat up, rubbing her eyes and giggling.

"That was fun," she stated plainly, smiling widely at me. My blood boiled, and I felt like slamming her against the wall.

"Skye? Wat de vok?" I shouted, throwing my hands up in exasperation. "Cora thought she'd killed you!" I added, but Skye seemed nonplussed.

"No swearing!" she castigated, placing her hands on her hips. "Not even in Kitchen Dutch!"

"Kitchen Dutch?" I shook my head, my confusion taking over my worry.

"Yes, Kitchen Dutch." she answered, raising herself of the floor with a swift push. "You must've have read 'Kringe in 'n bos'?" she inquired, causing me to sigh in frustration.

"Gosh, Skye, never speak Afrikaans again!" I yelled at her, to which she simply stared blankly. "You're doing it an injustice! But Cora thought she'd killed you! And you're calling it 'fun'?"

"Didn't I just tell you that I had no plan of dying soon?" Skye asked me, and I rolled my eyes in response, standing up to face her fully. She was still a good half-head taller than me.

"But still! She's still convinced that she's a monster, you can't do that! How could you?" I exclaimed, trying as best as I could to sincerely guilt her.

"Fall over? I had no choice in the matter. Giggle? It's my response to a lot of things," she answered me honestly, though I didn't let that deter me from my mission.

"Fall over? Skye, you looked dead! Or severely hurt! Imagine what you would do if you saw one of your friends collapsing like that! If Cora had suddenly dropped because you did something?" I screamed at her, and she winced visibly, sitting on her bed, with her head in her hands. _What on earth happened to her? She's not even fighting back anymore._

"I realise that, Lia, but it was an accident! If anyone here is a monster, it's me," she sighed, and I thought I caught a tear falling from her eyes. My anger continued to flare, and I felt a shield build up inside me, threatening to explode.

"I did not say that! DON'T put words in my mouth! But you'd better go find her, Skye, or so help me-" I began, but she cut me off, standing intimidatingly above me.

"I did not say that you said it!" she yelled demandingly at me, to which I cowered. Never had I heard such venomous words, except from Zach, and I stood there as she ran out on me, yet again.

Cora's POV

She was just laying there, immobile. I'd killed her.

Seth had been right, I was a monster. One second of losing control, of letting my emotions get the best of me, and I had killed. So that was why Aidan would die. My love would kill him.

I screamed furiously, and the lamps burst, the shards of glass falling to the ground. The fire roared louder, and books began falling from the shelves. Colours swam in front of my eyes, I could barely see, and I collapsed on the black couch.

Closing my eyes, I saw images of everyone, dead at my feet. Lia, Aves, Skye, Lex...Aidan. Everyone.

When I opened my eyes again, all colour had drained from the room, and I jumped to my feet. Staring at my hands with disdain and hatred, I balled them into tight fists and began punching the rough stone wall. At first, I felt no pain, then the abrasions on my fists began to open, bleeding slowly. I felt my energy immediately rush to heal them, but I merely continued, trying to extinguish any ounce of energy I had left. Perhaps then, everyone would be safe.

Suddenly, a pair of strong, thin arms wrapped around me, restraining me from moving whatsoever.

"No, Lee! Let me go!" I roared, flailing uncontrollably and continuously trying to beat the wall, which had begun to crumble, into a pulp.

"You'll have to kill me first," someone replied softly, but their voice certainly did not belong to that of my best friend. It was deeper, and spoke with much more authority than Lia did at the present moment.

"Skye?" I whispered, stopping my struggle. Why I had stopped for Skye, and not Lia, was beyond me. I clutched onto her figure for dear life and she held me looser.

"No, I'm quite obviously the Easter Bunny," she replied sarcastically, and I could feel the smirk on her face.

Her grip loosened, and I burst out laughing, pulling myself away from her grip. Gently, she helped me onto the couch and sat beside me, placing her wand back into its holster. After a while, I stopped, and my face fell yet again, as I perused the damage I had done. The Common Room looked like a battlefield.

"How did you do it? I mean, everyone you know is in danger, and most don't even know! And I see you; you seem so indestructible, so hero-like. But I break down whenever something happens," I muttered, glancing at her nervously before focusing my eyes on the fire. For a second, I thought I caught the outline of a face, but it disappeared as soon as my eyes landed on it.

In response, Skye shrugged, before emitting a small laugh, which sounded most certainly forced.

"Hero-like? When I'm the Empress of Fools? Now that's a laugh. How do I do it? I rely on friends. I know a battle faced alone is a battle lost," she looked at me earnestly, but I shook my head, gasping as the breath left my body.

"I can't do that to them. I won't let them die for me," I insisted, the flames burning higher and a scarlet red. With a wave of her hand, Skye doused the flames, and my ego took a slight hit. She was not supposed to be able to override my powers like that, but it seemed so effortless to do so.

"It's not up to me. They made their own choices. Theo, Leo, Lavender, Fred… They went in willingly. Plus, I'd rather face Merope's insanity than Anna's wrath," she admitted, a true smile actually lighting her features.

"Anna?" I asked quizzically, and her aura turned into one of bliss, like it did when she thought of Draco the last time around.

"My best friend," she responded truthfully, and I caught a glimpse into her mind. They seemed to be very close, like a sister nearly.

"She sounds a lot like Lee," I commented, realising that although Lex was exceedingly close to me, Lia understood me better. Really, they all were like my siblings, Lia, Aves, Lex, Amber and Will.

"She's Romanian, though," she clarified, and my eyebrow raised. The odds of that happening were low, but then I remembered that since Romania had been a Wizarding hotspot of sorts for many generations, it wasn't that big of a coincidence.

"Lex, then. But even if it's their choice, I don't they understand the gravity of it. And they do have a choice. But I can't let him die," I mumbled, his name and face entering my mind yet again. Whenever he came up, he invaded my mind like a virus.

"Him?" Skye caught sharply, a grin on her face. Immediately, my shields raised, and I got up, in an attempt to fix the damage I had done.

"Never mind," I replied hurriedly, the telltale blush creeping to my cheeks. My hands began shaking, and I tried clearing my mind, though Skye's amused look pierced my thoughts more than anything.

"You realise your thoughts can't be hidden from me when your emotions are high?" she stated innocently, and a chunk of rock fell from my grip. _Bloody buggering hell, I thought I was supposed to be able to control everything! Apparently not._

"Aidan," I finally admitted and she nodded in understanding.

"I know. Trust me, Cora, your friends don't give a damn about if you want them to help or not. Whether or not you approve, they'll go on," she told me and I bit my lip, realising she was right. Whenever I had pictured myself in battle, it was always with people beside me, and I knew, deep down, they would not leave me. That didn't mean I agreed with it, though.

"They're incorrigible," I groaned, and Skye looked at me questioningly.

"Um…. Anna's never used that word before… so I can't say if you're wrong or right," she conceded, causing me to laugh as the last of the rubble cleared itself. Slowly, I sat on the alcove and looked at the grounds below us. The flash of orange appeared again, but I shook my head yet again.

"What if I fail?" I asked her, and she joined me in the alcove, leaning forward with her arms around her knees. Again I heard that odd heartbeat-esque fluttering, but ignored it once I looked into her eyes.

"Don't think negative thoughts, Cora. You will win. Failure is not an option. Say it to yourself," she insisted and I raised an eyebrow. She seemed desperate, as though I was her last option.

"Failure is not an option? But it's a possibility," I argued, and she shook her head, a knowing smile on her face as she glanced outside.

"Only if you allow it to be," she stated simply, and I fell silent. Her aura turned a melancholy black-grey and I felt the urge to hug her again.

"I wish I could believe that. Listen, I know you're probably in no state to deal with this, with your dad being dead and all, but Lee needs you," I pleaded, and she shot me a quizzical look.

"Dad's dead? Who killed him?" she asked and I gawped at her, my mouth wide open.

"Voldemort did… didn't Harry tell you?" I stammered, freshly remembering the lines of the novel in my head. Snape died, didn't he?

"Dad? Dead? He can't be dead… he gave me away at my wedding… Dead?" she muttered, running her hands through her hair in panic, before a flash of recognition crossed her eyes.

"You mean when Nagini attacked him?" she inquired, and the pages flashed in front of my eyes, though that memory swam with tears.

"I think that's what happened. I wept so hard whilst reading that, I don't quite remember," I said truthfully, and she bit her lip in thought.

"Well… um… my wedding was after the battle," she mused, and my eyes widened in response.

"Wait… so he's alive?" I asked, a tad too much relief in my voice for my preference. I still hadn't forgotten his remarks towards me.

"Unless Storm smothered him to death when she saw him," she replied, a slight grin on her face. The gears in my head began moving, as I realised the possibilities this opened up.

"The book was wrong? Do you think that means Jo was wrong about other things? About-" I began, voicing my doubts openly. I trusted Jo with all my heart, but if her prophecy was wrong, everything would change, whether for the better or for worse. "My prophecy?" I added, my voice cracking visibly as I slouched against the padded wall.

"I've already made it clear that there was a loophole. I wish Draco would give me some of that chocolate he's waving in front of Electric's nose," she interjected randomly, and my spirits fell. A loophole existed, I just couldn't spot it. How brilliant. Sighing deeply, I pulled a chocolate bar out of my sweater pocket.

"Here you go," I muttered dejectedly, handing her a piece as I tore one off for myself. It was my favourite: Honeydukes Dark Chocolate and Mint. The very same Aidan had given me that day, long ago.

"That came out of nowhere," Skye grinned and I chuckled lightly in response. It was incredible how she continued to act like a child. "Draco! He's poking her!" she laughed and I couldn't help but giggle a little at her face."Hey, listen to me," she said, and I looked at her. She had moved off the pillows and was now on her knees in front of me, a thin hand resting on my knee.

"What?" I snapped, taking a vicious bite out of my chocolate. The contradicting flavours, warm and cool, assaulted my senses, soothing my wild emotions slightly.

"Remus would be offended at how you're treating that poor piece of chocolate. Prophecies are never what they say. It's like a riddle. Dots have to be connected and words searched," she whispered wisely, and I nodded my head, before brushing my hair aside and looking into her eyes.

"Remus would eat as much chocolate as I am. I know that, but there's one part that I know will happen. I've seen it," I admitted, the image of Aidan dead flashing through my head like a stop sign. I'd never forget that image-it made me realise why I loved him, with every fibre of my being.

"As have I. Our ends are similar, aren't they?" she breathed, and I shook my head.

"What do you mean? What's your end?" I asked her, and she looked away, onto the grounds once again.

"The debt that all men pay," she finally answered, her eyes slightly teary, but steadfast. My heart fell, and I jumped up, the chocolate falling to the ground.

"NO! You cannot die!" I yelled, as Lia entered the room, looking at me, her eyes wide with panic.

"Please tell me this is some sick joke?" she whispered, her frame shaking yet again.

"I can joke about anything… except that," I told her, and she turned to Skye angrily.

"You said you wouldn't die! How can you lie to me, to us, like that?" she shrieked, and I rushed over to her, though she pushed me away.

"Why? But you said yourself, it could be wrong! Don't you dare die on me!" I cried, and Skye rose, her face stony.

"I said that I don't plan on dying soon. But I can't escape it forever. As much as I like to believe I'm immortal, I'm not," she replied, and I could feel Lia roll her eyes at the same time as I did.

"We're not stupid, Skye! But I fokken heard you! You've seen your death!" she roared indignantly, and I closed my eyes. Skye's aura was a pale green, a colour that generally surrounded Aidan. She was hiding something from us.

"And I sense your aura! It's not of old age, and you know that. Don't censor this, we frankly deserve to know!" I accused her, and she narrowed her eyes my way. for some reason, I didn't back down, having Lia there gave me a certain backbone I had not possessed earlier.

"I die when I face Merope. I'm not going to lie, I've always known it," Skye said steadily, and Lia fell back, the blood leaving her face. How could I have not seen?

"Always?" she breathed and Skye nodded, moving her rucksack towards her with a subtle flick of her wand.

"Since I learned about her. She's brilliant, and I'm way too powerful. Together, we are a nuclear bomb. Our powers are too different to be ignored," Skye mumbled, not looking us in the face.

"Neither can live while the other survives," I realised, and Lia shot me a look of utter terror, recognising the line instantaneously.

"Our world has to choose. Me, dead, or a dictator," Skye said, her aura shining a calm purple. She had accepted her fate.

"What if the same thing happens here?" Lia muttered suddenly, her eyes unusually dark. I caught her glancing at me nervously and I shook my head, placing her hand firmly in mine.

"Then that is my fate, I've never given myself much of a choice," I conceded finally. Skye was right, my fate was what I made it to be. The weight on my heart did not dissipate, but I knew that was to be expected. It wasn't heavy for my death, but for the death of those who made it possible for me to live. Until the war was over, it would not leave.

"Life's a bitch, eh?" Skye answered dreamily, as Annika often did. "Makes death almost seem inviting."

"If that means he lives, yes," I accepted willingly, and Lia's head snapped to me in shock. She had never understood how I could love Aidan as I did, after she found out what he had done. In all honesty, neither could I. But love is blind and lovers cannot see, as Shakespeare so famously said, and this was certainly no exception.

"That's the way I see it too," Skye nodded, her voice dreamy and trance-like. Lia noticed, and snapped her fingers in front of the Empress' face.

"Skye? What was that?" she asked, causing the former to shrug in response, her eyebrow raised in confusion.

"Not normal," she replied, her eyes shifting constantly to the overstuffed armchair in front of the near-demolished fireplace. I'd have to fix that. "Sorry, I was in weird mode… Does that mean I'm out of it? SOMEONE SHOVE ME BACK IN!" she grimaced theatrically, and we burst out in raucous laughter, Lia's face turning a light pink due to oxygen deprivation.

"No, I'd rather take your fate," I finally mumbled, my hair falling over my face. The question never left my head. _Why did I love him so much? I barely know him!_

"Fate can always be changed," Skye reminded me, and I snorted derisively, wanting nothing more than to hide my face in the depths of a protective book.

"It better be," I snapped, crossing my arms petulantly. Skye smiled at me, her expression so motherly I felt as though I was 5 years old again, when I had done something adorable. According to Mum, that happened a lot. _Gods, I miss her. _

"The mind is a powerful thing, Cora. Seeing as I can hear thoughts from both you and Dumbledore… though I only get snippets from her," she insisted, nodding her head towards Lia, who had begun inspecting the bookshelves carefully. "She's a Paraxene shield-type-thing," she rolled her eyes, and I couldn't help but grin at her terminology.

"Come on, Cora, I know he's like Harry to me, but…" Lia began, her eyes wide and pleading. She was afraid, I could feel it, but she was also lying. Aidan meant just as much to her as he did to me. I shook my head adamantly, glowering at my best friend. She blanched, and I blinked, realising that my eyes must have gone black again. Ironically, it happened so often now, I couldn't even tell my own happiness apart from my anger.

"That it is, but someday it won't be enough," I murmured, more to myself than to Skye, who removed her arm from my shoulders to rummage around in her rucksack noisily. I caught several intermittent sounds, such as a tin, and something made of plastic. With a shock, I realised that I had mentally calculated the specific size and location of every object in her bag during the span of several seconds.

"By then you'll be powerful enough to enhance it," Skye replied effortlessly, as though it was already set in stone. _I'd kill for her confidence..._

Suddenly, her face grew triumphant, and she pulled out a tin of pears from her bag, frowning dejectedly at her reward. Lia snickered derisively, and not even I could hold back a grin. I had only met her once, and yet she was the only one, save for Seth, perhaps, who truly understood what I was going through.

"Thanks, Skye," I repeated, and she looked at me, her face bemused.

"Okay. You're welcome… for what?" she inquired, her eyes shining brightly. Yet again, a shiver ran down my spine as I spotted the animalistic glint they had acquired.

"Coming back," I replied simply, and Lia sat herself down in the alcove, wrapping her arms around her legs. Her hair was tied back into an uncharacteristic ponytail, with several strands falling into her eyes. She was different, changed by events none of us could have ever foreseen.

"I stand by what I said before. You're helping me as much as I'm helping you. The Universe called, I had to answer," she assured me, pushing away her bag with a look of disdain.

"But still. You have no idea how much this means to me," I insisted, but she shook her head, leaning back against the bench and letting her hair fall across her face. The similarities between her and Lia were uncanny at times.

"As much as it means to me to not be called a fool," she gulped, closing her eyes with fatigue. "Or a murderer," she added with dread, and my eyes widened at her thoughts. A name kept reappearing, but as soon as I caught it, my mind forgot it again as well. Finally, I saw a single image, and I gasped audibly. Skye was weeping over the body of a dead man, muttering incoherently, still in the same clothes she had come to us with.

"Skye, you didn't kill him," I stated, more to myself than anyone else.

"Of course I did. I took the last remaining breaths from his body," she whispered in response, before running a thin hand through her hair and moving her head from side to side."I'd rather not talk about it," she muttered, her aura turning near-black. I tried to delve further into her mind, but I simply could not see. It was murky, as though dense fog clouded her thought from view. Nodding mutely, I lowered myself onto the ground, wrapping my arms around Skye, wishing more than anything to help her. People thought me mad, but all friends were family to me. She was certainly no exception.

"Skye, you didn't kill him," I repeated solemnly, the words escaping the confines of my mouth like a mantra.

"Who are you talking about?" Lia interceded, her eyes wide with worry.

"Lycan," I answered her sharply, and she raised a confused eyebrow in response. Reluctantly, I felt her shields fall and I placed the image in her mind, causing her to place a tiny hand over her mouth, and fall to her knees in front of Skye, who continuously refused to acknowledge our presence. "You didn't kill him," I reiterated, trying to make Skye glance me in the eyes, if only once.

"I did," she said, her tone unyielding. My mind immediately flew to Morgana's book. _Perhaps that could work..._

"Skye, there's nothing you could have done," Lia insisted, moving to sit on Skye's other side, placing a firm hand on the latter's trembling shoulder.

Suddenly, Skye raised herself to her feet, pulling gracefully out of our grips. "You don't know what happened… I, I had to-" she stammered, finally letting the tears break the barrier of her eyes. She, like Lia, had changed completely. Her confidence, her certainty, they had gone, and fear and sorrow had taken their place.

"I know," I said gently, standing to allow the older girl to cry in my arms. It seemed like only yesterday that she had done the same for me.

"I killed my brother… but… he was bleeding everywhere and… and he could have gotten better!" she cried desperately, allowing herself to simply fall apart.

"You wouldn't have killed him if that had been an option, Skye. You need to trust yourself," Lia asserted, her voice regaining that fiery temperament it had previously lost.

Skye didn't answer, though her mouth remained agape, as though she had intended to say something in response.

"Would you rather it had been Bellatrix? Or Fenrir?" I continued, placing my hand on her matted hair. She moved her head away, and glared at me coldly, the humanity disappearing from her eyes yet again. The icicle drove further into my heart, but I kept my eyes on her defiantly, until she sighed, tearing at her hair with her hands.

"Bellatrix is dead, and it was Fenrir's fault," she replied arrogantly, and my anger threatened to make an appearance yet again. Closing my eyes, I tamed the fire inside of me, realising that once they reopened, my eyes would turn an ominous black again.

"Stop!" Lia yelled, her eyes fixated on me with worry. "Look, you know he wouldn't have made it," she argued, forcing Skye to look at her by attempting to shake some sense into her.

"If only I'd tried to heal him. He would've lived!" Skye yelled in response, pushing Lia away with a look of hatred. Lia saw this, and turned away, her aura turning morose again.

"Skye, not even we can stop death," I conceded morosely, the image of Aidan lighting up in my mind yet again.

"Looking in his eyes while I drained the life out of him… it's just-" Skye breathed, her voice haggard and shaky.

"How would you have felt seeing his body defile and murdered out of hate! You killed him out of love – and he died for you," Lia soothed, her voice warm and consoling. I flashed her a glare, wishing nothing more than to fling her against a wall. _Odd, I've never wanted to do that to anyone before._

"That's a great thing to say, Lia!" I shrieked bitterly, my voice laced with uncharacteristic sarcasm. Clearly, I was prone to doing things out of the realm of normalcy tonight.

"I still wonder if it was out of love… or for selfish reasons," Skye muttered, more to herself than to us. Her thin arms were wrapped around her waist, as though the room had dropped several degrees. Hesitantly, I pried at her mind, noticing her slight wince. She thought it was for selfish reasons, fully and unconditionally.

"You love him, Skye, and that is everything," Lia stated simply, her eyes shining with unshed tears. Skye merely looked at her pitifully, and shook her head, gnawing at her lip with unyielding ferocity.

"Still," she replied, looking more defeated than ever. _Come on Core, you can do this!_

"Skye, look at me," I said, my voice steady, but eerie. She turned to me slowly, and I felt the temperature drop yet again, as I attempted to absorb energy in any form available. I heard Lia gasp, and took a deep breath.

_Animus Mali, relinque patriam mortis et redi ad patriam vivam. Domina maxima tua sum. _

"Skye?" Lia breathed, her hands covering her mouth, trembling ever so slightly.

Gradually, Skye raised her visage, paling considerably at the site that befell her. The man from her thoughts, Lycan, floated in front of her, a deep frown creasing his handsome features. He was denser than a normal ghost, but devoid of all colour, though his body seemed to be composed of a thick fog.

"Skye, I'm sorry," he urged, his deep voice evoking a profound sense of regret in my heart.

"You did this to me," Skye replied, her voice cracking in disbelief.

"Yes, and I'm sorry! Skye! Please! I never meant to-" he began, but she cut him off, falling to her knees beside Lia, who seemed to be frozen in place.

"I don't want to hear it!" she screamed at him, wrapping her limbs around her knees and curling into a small ball. Panting heavily, I refocused my attention on the floating figure, who seemed to be close to begging. _As he should, _the voice in my head muttered bitterly.

"Skye, please! I'm sorry!" he pleaded, running his hands madly through his thick bush of hair. With a start, I realised why Lia had frozen: his mannerisms, his tone, even his appearance, reminded me of Zach.

Suddenly, Skye stood up, rounding on Lycan with a vengeance. "How come you can talk?" she asked him, her voice brimming with spite.

"When you kissed me, the spell wore off when you kissed me. Skye… don't feel guilty for taking my life. I deserved it for what I did to you," he conceded, hanging his head in shame. My fists clenched as the fire roared once again, but it bated as soon as I caught his image flickering. She needed to hear this.

"I don't think I can kill again," she replied simply, wringing her hands in frustration.

"You have to. And tell my mother for me, that she should go to hell," he grinned maliciously, but she merely glared in response, her hands locked into fists by her side.

"Get away from me, Lycan," she said darkly, her voice even and determined. With a sigh, he nodded and turned to me.

_Animus mali, domina tua te expello de patria viva et iubeo te maneo semper a patria mortis._

"I'm sorry, Skye… truly, truly, sorry-" he repeated, until finally his body disappeared with a faint glow, leaving behind only the echo of his voice.

I collapsed against the wall, my breath haggard, as though I had just run a marathon. Skye looked shocked, and Lia was severely terrified, even though I had no clue as to what had just occurred.

"Thank you, Cora," Skye stated, her face completely emotionless as she walked over to the window.

"It worked?" I asked, amazed by the scale on which my powers had grown. Who had ever heard of a person awakening the dead, if only for a second? As much as the abilities entranced me, I was shaking like an earthquake on the inside. What I had done was unnatural, going against His wishes.

Skye remained silent, her eyes glazed over in thought.

"Um, yeah…" Lia answered on Skye's behalf, looking at the aforementioned with a skeptical grimace crossing her face.

"I can't believe it worked," I mumbled to myself, igniting the fire in the hearth with a twitch of my finger.

"In the words of someone's name I forgot: Well, believe it, because it's true," Skye smirked, though her eyes still did not meet mine. Lia let out a breathy laugh, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I'm not the only insane one, then?" I stated, feigning a deep and profound surprise, at which Skye grinned widely, showing her bright canine-like teeth.

"You mean there are normal people here?" she gasped, her eyes widening theatrically. Suddenly, she froze, sniffing one of the black armchairs in front of the fire.

"Don't kill the chair, Skye. But I don't know what normal means anymore," I admitted, running a hand through my hair. It had grown even wilder since the beginning of the year, though admittedly it had lost some of the frizz, growing in more defined curls instead. Nevertheless, it was still a pain, and I didn't leave it down often.

"Normal does not exist, thus anything appearing as such should immediately be taken care of," she replied calmly, commencing her circumlocution of the overstuffed chair. Her movements were snake-like, and I had to strain to hear the movement of her feet.

"Um… Skye?" Lia chuckled nervously, turning to me with a perplexed look. "Maybe she has a weird animalistic craving for couch pillows?" she suggested, and I merely shrugged in response. Not even I could explain this. But then again, this was Skye Malfoy. There is no explanation for her. _Or for any one of my friends, really. _

She neared the chair slowly, drawing her wand in one fluid movement from a holster on her arm. Narrowing her eyes, she jumped forward, not making a sound, and jabbed at it.

"Yes, I think we've established it's a chair," I nodded slowly, worrying for whatever was left of Skye's sanity. Perhaps she was relapsing into toddler-mode. It had happened to our Skye for several days, a fact that had amused Aves to no end. We were finally able to calm her down using precocious amounts of Play-Doh and cookies.

In the blink of an eye, she pounced like a leopard onto the chair, and began sniffing it frantically, practically burying her face in the upholstery. Raising an eyebrow, I sniffed the chair for myself, and it possessed no extraordinary odour. In fact, it smelled like wool.

"Okay, this is getting creepy. Skye? Joke's over? You got us?" Lia chuckled nervously, slapping her knee for emphasis. Skye ignored her, and continued her examination of the continuously inanimate chair. With a growl, she opened her mouth wide, to reveal a pair of knife-sharp canines, and sunk them into the plush armrest, as though determined to draw blood. Or filling, in the case of the armchair, I suppose.

"Holy shit!" I exclaimed, raising my hand to throw Skye off the armchair. She struggled mercilessly as I pinned her onto the couch, her limbs flailing like a fish out of water. I waited several minutes, letting her get her anger out, before finally giving in, my fatigue getting the best of me.

"That is not a chair!" she yelled at me, as soon as she regained enough equilibrium to rise, ever so gracefully, to her feet. "It's an intruder!" she added, glaring venomously at the chair.

"It's just a chair, Skye," I stated bluntly, attempting to reason with her logically. _Because that works soooo well, doesn't it?_ the voice in my head muttered sarcastically.

"No, it's not!" she answered, her voice adamant as she continued to point her wand threateningly at the chair.

"Yes it is. See?" I pulled my wand out and waved at the chair, making it catch fire. "If it was a person, it would be screaming," I reasoned, but she crossed her arms in front of her chest and frowned like a child that had just been denied a toy.

"It's a person!" she said, her eyes darkening at me. "I can't change them back, but it is human!"

"It is a chair." I enunciated sharply, gesturing with my hands as I did so.

"Human. Or I'm an ostrich," she smirked, clearly thinking she had won the argument. I rolled my eyes and extinguished the flames with a flick of my wand. ONce something had been done by magic, my powers were useless against it, like water was useless to wash off oil.

"You can turn into one," I replied calmly, stuffing my wand back into my pocket. Surreptitiously, I glanced at her aura, which had become a burning, fiery red.

"I haven't tried it yet, so I doubt it," she spat at me, her voice becoming dangerously sweet, like the scent of Acromantula venom. Memories of Aves' injuries flooded my head, and I bit back a sob. She never should have had to experience such pain.

"Skye…" I sighed, frustrated with her stubborn attitude. However, this must be how everyone felt like when I became just as cantankerous, if not worse. _How could she know if she hadn't tried?_

"Fine. But if it roasts your toes, do not blame me," she glared our way, and I could feel Lia's anger boil dangerously.

"We won't. Because it's a chair," she said harshly, her voice regaining the old sarcasm it had lost during her period of depression. Sometimes I couldn't help but wonder where she got that from, as Lily and James had seemed so blissful and kind. Lia was certainly kind, but she could be just as evil as the worst of us.

With a huff, Skye gathered her belongings, and stomped up the stairs, slamming the door to her room loud enough to rattle the stained glass outside her abode.

Lia and I glanced at each other and made our way up the stairs in silence, only stopping briefly at Lia's door so she could grab her sketchbook.

"She's worse than Lex during a rage." I muttered, opening the door carefully. We stepped in, and Lia began giggling madly at the sight in front of us. Skye was standing in front of her bed, throwing her clothes into piles from one side of the bed to the other.

"Skye?" I asked cautiously, closing the door behind me as I walked in.

"I have no idea where my calculator is." she told us curtly, and I stifled a laugh behind my hand.

"Why do you need a calculator? They don't work at Hogwarts," I pointed out, and she turned to me, her hands placed precariously on her hips.

"It's for Rija, okay?" she explained, continuing her furious hunt for the calculator. Clothes began flying haphazardly, and Lia swatted at them with her sketchpad.

"But you don't own one," I spoke slowly, waiting for her to see reason. Sighing deeply, she summoned the clothes, and packed them messily into the dresser before collapsing on her bed.

"Then I want one for Christmas," she stated grumpily, tucking her chin into her chest. _Yep, she's five years old again. _

"Wow. Talk about early shopping, huh?" Lia commented off-handedly, adjusting the sketchpad as she curled up on Skye's chaise, beginning to sketch absentmindedly. I glanced at the paper, and felt my spirits drop as I recognised the face. Even though I had never seen him in person, I doubted anyone else would be able to pull of that famous smirk.

"She's drawing? So why can I not have a calculator?" Skye demanded, her face red.

"It's therapeutic for her!" I retorted, settling down beside Lia and pulling Morgana's book out of my back pocket. It grew instantaneously, and I opened it to my page, burying myself in its pages once more.

"All right. I'll go find a… Bowtruckle-" Skye stammered, though I detected a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Really, Skye?" I exclaimed exasperatedly, glancing at her from the top of my book.

Several minutes passed in silence, as Skye just settled herself on her bed, lying peacefully on her back.

Without warning, Lia gasped, her eyes wide as the notebook slipped from her slack fingers. Her hands flew to her chest and she tried to take a breath, but was unable to do so, as she coughed violently, falling back onto the chaise.

"Lia!" I exclaimed, my voice wrought with panic. My book flew from my hands as I kneeled beside Lia, trying frantically to clear my mind. Skye rose slowly, picking up Lia's sketchpad as she scrambled over, looming above my head. Taking a breath, I widened my eyes, allowing my powers to diagnose the problem. They did so swiftly, and I covered my mouth in utter horror.

"It's her lung. It's collapsed."

**A/N: Yes, it is outrageously long. But don't pretend you didn't love it. Unless you didn't, in which case...*nervous laughter*. So, how'd I do with this one? I realise Cora is exceedingly out of character currently, but she is going through a very tough time. And I'll try my best not to wait another month to update-it feels awful! But, in the meantime, I have a proposition for you all. Unless you already have a character that you have submitted for this story, please PM me if you wish to have one. Cassandra's Army will need some international help, and my imagination only goes so far. Let your imaginations run wild on this one, I could use the help. And please visit the poll on my profile. While your there, you can check out the link to my friend's drawing of Amber. It is amazing, really. She's a brilliant artist, and she has graciously agreed to drawing out most of my characters. So, drop me a review, as always, flames and hugs are welcome. Virtual mint-chocolate chip cookies and Eggnog icecream to the world!**


	50. A Transformation

**A/N: Well, hello there! Did you miss me? I think you did. And if you didn't...eh, I don't mind. I'm so sorry for disappearing, I blame exams and poor AP administrations. I had to take the AP French exam twice...it was awful. All that aside, I am back, and I will do my best to update regularly. However, not as often as I used to, because I have a new story up. It's called _The Colour Of Blood_, and it's a crossover between Harry Potter and the Hunger Games, which is an amazing book. Please do check it out if you have the time. Now, I would like to address something a reviewer brought up considering Cora, and her behaviour toward Skye. Cora is incredibly insecure, and her "belittlement" of Skye kind of connects to that. She still has no idea why _she _is the One, and she's completely terrified. Her smarts are the only justification she has, and she doesn't like being beat by others in that aspect. In that respect, she is exactly like me. I'm sorry for those who didn't like her treatment, but I can assure you that Cora relies heavily on Skye, and not as a servant. But I will agree that Skye is more BA. I never intended for Cora to be BA, though. Thank you to the Elves, LoVeMeHaTeMeBeAutIfUlMe, French Buddy, StormTheVeela, Bex H, and Girl-with-Gloves for your reviews. They make my heart swell every time. This chapter is for Leanna, in its entirety. Thanks for everything, girl.**

**Soundtrack Suggestions: Secrets by OneRepublic(I use this song a lot, I know), Night of the Hunter by 30 Seconds to Mars, House of Wolves by My Chemical Romance**

Cora's POV

My hands trembled over her chest as I assessed her condition. The spontaneous pneumothorax had released a huge gust of air, which was rapidly filling her chest cavity. If she stayed like this for more than a couple of minutes, oxygen would be cut off from her brain, and there was an unavoidable risk of permanent damage.

"What… how?" Skye stammered, running beside Lia's head, her eyes frantic with worry. Under normal circumstances, I knew what had to be done. However, this was no normal situation. Lia was blocking me, her shields having doubled in strength after they sensed the danger.

"I don't know! My magic won't be enough… Hell!" I swore profusely under my breath, trying to focus enough on one thing in order to disable her shields. A blood vessel popped in her eye, turning half of her eye red with the escaped blood. Her body was under too much pressure, I knew she wouldn't last long.

"So… you have me?" Skye suggested, in a clear attempt to psych me into doing something miraculous, as I had with Aves. But Aves didn't try and stop me. No matter what I tried, I couldn't slip past her barriers. Her shields were rock-solid, and I couldn't find a weakness.

"There's something stopping me," I gaped openly, shocked by my own realisation. _I_ couldn't do anything to save my best friend, one of my sisters. Seth's words floated back into my head, and my hands shook violently in response. _You are the most powerful thing in the Universe, and you're letting a bloody SHIELD stop you?_

"Like…?" she responded, her eyes wide as she tried to plead for understanding. _A pneumothorax is easy to rectify once it is located, merely use a syringe to remove the excess air from the affected area. _But even if I knew how to treat it, I couldn't find the location first. By sight, I could see nothing unnatural about her chest, even though it was moving spasmodically, trying to inhale enough oxygen for her to survive.

"I don't know! Her shields are working so hard, they're stopping me. I think… shit!" I ran my hands through my hair in desperation. With a shock, I saw that Lia's lips were beginning to turn purple-she had been deprived of air for too long. Her heart rate was speeding up continuously, and the veins in her wrist were sticking out of her skin way too much for my liking.

"Cora!" Skye turned to me suddenly, before gripping Lia's visage in her own hands, forcing her to look into those eerie eyes again. "What do you mean what kissing Draco's like?" she asked, and Lia's eyes bulged, but her shields collapsed momentarily.

My instinct took over, and I felt my powers slip into Lia, healing her from the inside out, first to the bubble of air, then to the blood vessel in her eye, and finally out again.

I heard Skye sigh thankfully, as Lia began breathing again, her hands clutched to the side of her abdomen.

"Lia?" she asked, her voice cautious as she approached the younger girl. I decided to leave them be for a moment, as stars had begun to flash before my eyes. Suddenly, I felt as though there was another presence in my head, but it disappeared as soon as I sensed their interference.

"Wat de vok was dit?" Lia breathed erratically, her face slick with sweat and shining like the moon hanging outside Skye's window.

"Your lung collapsed," Skye replied weakly. I briefly wondered how she understood Afrikaans, but lingered on it only briefly, as I read her thoughts. She was severely shaken, reminded of her brother's death.

"My lung collapsed?" she repeated, falling back onto her bed with a gust of air escaping her fixed lungs.

"Take it easy," I told her softy, placing a pillow beneath her limp head. My hands trembled precariously, and I could feel my emotions welling up once again, threatening to fall past the precipice of my control. Merlin only knew what would happen if I lost control of them again.

"Yeah, relax," Skye echoed, her voice seeming disconnected from herself entirely. As though she had a robot that would speak for her separately, when she did not have the strength to do it herself.

"Skye, she's fine," I murmured, sitting myself down at the end of the bed. Skye blinked away the wetness that threatened to spill over and shot me a wry grin, before shifting the sketchbook anxiously in her hands.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Skye asked once more, her eyes boring deep into Lia's. The air around me grew denser, and I sensed a shot of warm energy emanating from Skye as she leaned forward, cocking her head to the side in a dog-like manner. She was trying to read Lia's mind, gleaning little more than snippets of Zach's outburst.

"Oh no! No more mind-reading, please!" Lia shrieked, the shields around her rising instantly, and stronger than ever. Skye rolled her eyes in response to her petulance, her aura shining an angry red.

"Skye, easy," I warned, my voice ringing out with a kind f strange protectiveness that it generally did not take upon itself. Or it did, and I had been too preoccupied to notice,

Skye pulled away, shrugging in nonchalance. "I can't control what I read and when I read it unless I cast a spell. I was simply looking into your eyes, and they've told me more than enough," she snapped at me, her voice conveying the warmth of an iceberg. It quite reminded me of the way Severus would speak to Aidan, when he had done something unsatisfactory. But her mind rang of a different motive: she was angry, nay furious, at Zach. She leaned forward and seized her rucksack by a worn strap. "If you two will excuse me, I have a date with a certain bat," she told us curtly, straightening herself to her full height.

"Wait! Look, I'm sorry, my mind's just not in the best place right now. And Batman isn't here," Lia protested, closing her eyes as she placed the tips of her fingers against her temple, attempting to soothe the binding ache in her head. Skye snorted in response, and Lia's eyes darted open, looking at her in confusion.

"Please, Lia, I am not that gullible as to believe it is nothing. And I was referring to him," the Empress replied, pointing to the roof of her room. Following her finger, I glanced up, only to see a bat hanging from the ceiling about a foot from my head. "He's my… companion, shall we say?" she explained, although her distrusting gaze said otherwise.

"Companion? As in-" Lia asked, before gulping and pulling the covers over her head. Her red cheeks revealed her thoughts easily enough, and I gazed at Skye in exasperation, unable to believe that Draco had really followed her across the worlds. Whoever the bat was, he had to go. With a sigh, I stood up and walked over to the nearest window, unlocking the glass panes with some deft manoeuvring. The moon shone in brighter, and I allowed myself a deep breath before poking my head back in and gesturing out the window.

"Out," I ordered, giving the bat a pointed look I generally saved for when Aves was lazy in her studying.

"He's harmless," Skye assured me, glancing at the bat with more trust in her eyes. As per my instructions, however, he had begun to fly down, and was now flapping around the room leisurely. "He's been following us a whole while. That was why I called him my companion, for lack of a better word. I want to know what the hell he wants."

"Well, in case it's someone we do not want here, get him out!" I shrieked, panic washing over me as I realised what that could mean. If he had been here the entire time, he must have been present during Lia's injury, and even have been the cause of it. How could Skye know if this bat had the best of intentions?

"It's an animal," she said, a look of disapproval and skepticism on her face as she looked at me. It burned my soul, certainly, and I silently reprimanded myself for my behaviour. "Not a person. Otherwise…" Skye trailed off, cocking her head to the side like a canine. "It's a messenger."

Taking a step forward, she raised her arm, allowing the bat to land on her arm. The bat was actually quite adorable, with ears that seemed to big for its body and a wrinkled nose, all perched upon a ball of fluff.

I saw it briefly glance at me, as though it was raising in an eyebrow, but Skye's eyes had taken on a translucent quality that I saw from Aves when she talked to Theseus. According to her, he was a riot, but could be a right git at times.

"It's a bat," I grumbled adamantly, poking Lia from under the blanket. She raised her head nervously, before cowering at my look. Rolling my eyes, I grinned at her, happy to know that she could read me well enough that is was as if we could communicate telepathically.

"Messenger," Skye argued, a crooked smile lighting her face as she looked at the fuzzball. "It says… what? I absolutely refuse to say that out loud!" she exclaimed, her eyes widening in shock at whatever the bat had said.

"What? Come on, it's not as if we haven't heard something perverted before!" Lia yelled, her voice oddly excited. Between her and Aves, I didn't which one had corrupted me more thoroughly. They both knew this, naturally, and had insisted it was for the greater good. Upon any objection, Aves had looked at me emphatically, before saying, "Can't have our saviour remain ignorant of the world," effectively ending any complaint from my side.

"Well… no!" Skye shot a look of utmost disgust at it. "For an animal, you have one very dirty mind!"

Exasperated by not knowing the subject of conversation, I entered her mind, only to be greeted by an assault of truly strange imagery. This bat was a twisted being!

"Come on!" Lia urged, leaning up on her elbows as though she could hear the conversation through proximity.

"That is just-" I mused, unable to hold back a giggle as I delved into the mind of the bat. Lia merely turned her head violently, trying to decipher the joke between the expressions on our faces.

"Sick, I know," Skye completed my sentence, shaking her head in disbelief. "And with a quill too!"

Lia turned to me, her visage the perfect picture of utter disgust. "Oh, that is just… OUT!" she demanded, her voice rebounding off the stone walls of the rooms. I congratulated the bat in my head for being able to disgust Lia, a person whose imagination stretched beyond most people's realm of comfort. Although I personally found it intriguing.

The animal flew off Skye's arm, clearly scared out of its wits, and left with a brief squeak at its Empress.

"It was actually here telling us about Aves," she stated, her brow furrowing in thought as she watched her messenger disappear in a flash of red light.

As hey eyes glazed over in thought, I looked outside, my eyes glimpsing the ray of orange again. However, this time, I notice something off about the grounds. The Whomping Willow seemed blurred, as though great bodies were flying in front of it. Sparks of orange and red were flitting in and out of my range of vision, and I could feel two sharp eyes trained on my face.

Suddenly, the chiling crunch of wood shattering brought me back in focus, as a branch broke of the Willow by means of an invisible force. My ears picked up on the beating of wings, and I turned back to Skye, whose thoughts indicated she had heard the same.

"Look, Skye," I breathed, gesturing outside as I realised the origin of the noise. Thestrals. "Lee, what day is it?" I inquired, my heart beating faster as the sounds of an alien tongue reached my ears. I had heard that dialect before...when Aves became most furious.

"March 31st," Lia replied, swallowing heavily as she threw of the covers and staggered about, seizing her wand from the trunk at the foot of the bed. Immediately, the colour returned to her cheeks and she looked at me with panicked eyes.

Skye turned to me, her dark eyebrow raised as she peered into my undoubtedly clouded eyes.

"Her birthday?" she asked, her voice deep with gravity as the reality sunk into her soul.

Today was Aves' birthday, a day we had not dared to celebrate. It meant the return of her brother, and her unavoidable confrontation with him. Alec had not left her side since the morning, trying his best to ensure her safety. In addition, the entirety of the CA was on guard today, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice.

"Yes… it's happening! Skye, do you know what happens when an elf turns fifteen?" I asked her, grabbing the familiar handle of my ebony wand tightly in my palm.

"Yes," she answered, running a hand through her still-scraggly hair. Her face was pained, and I knew that she was completely aware of the possible consequences tonight could bring.

"Cora, you don't think…" Lia mused, making me turn violently towards her. It cut her off sharply, and she recoiled slightly, fear entering her eyes.

"Lee, come on. He'd do anything to keep her from coming into her full powers. That's why he abused her!" I yelled, my voice shaking slightly as I recalled the memory Aves had shown me reluctantly. Abuse didn't even begin to cover what that bastard had done to her.

Suddenly, a sickening smell filled the room, and I turned to Skye, who was looking at her finger with interest. Venom.

"He's brought the entire bloody army, Lee. And he cannot let her live overnight. He needs to kill her tonight, so that during the finalisation of her transformation, her powers will fall unto him instead," I concluded, watching my best friend nod sombrely in response. She would be looking Death in the mouth as well, and yet she was so calm.

"I'll stand guard?" Skye suggested. "Seeing as I can't kill him."

Her tone of disappointment made me smirk, but I shook my head, the thoughts running through my head at light speed.

"Rhain has brought an army, Lee! Get the CA into the forest and try to hold them off. Elves are brutal, so be careful. Skye, you stay with me. She'll need you," I dictated rapidly, the commands flying off my tongue with an unhealthy ease. I could feel the questions burning in Skye's head but I ignored it, pulling Lia into a desperate hug as she turned to Skye, her eyes glinting as she saw the book in her hand.

"That's mine!" she yelled, grabbing the pad with unwonted fury. I held my breath as Skye's aura burned a bright scarlet, and erected a thin shield between the both of them, unnoticeable anyone but myself.

"Yes…" Skye hissed, her voice venturing into what seemed to be Parseltongue, "And there's a very dashing picture of my husband inside it."

Lia froze, blushing a dashing magenta as she mumbled something to herself, her eyes welling up with unmistakable tears again.

"I'm guessing the animals already feel the bad vibes that blasted elf sends," I could hear Skye muttering, as her eyes veered to the Forest. My vision seemed to be intensified, as I could see the very fibres of the leaves. A blue ring of fire was burning above the trees and I gulped, hearing the sound of creatures being crushed under the foot of a giant. _They'll be okay. You've taught them enough._

But would they be hurt?

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my body, originating in my heart and spreading through my veins like wildfire. Every capillary felt as though it had been sliced carefully and I clutched my stomach, bending over in agony.

_How?_

"Cora?" Lia shrieked, forgetting her troubles and rushing over. I put my hand out to stop her, shaking my head furiously as I fought to keep down the sumptuous meal I had devoured for dinner. The pain just continued, fading and then climaxing again, as though someone was aiming for a target, but missing it completely.

"What is it?" Skye asked, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. Her face was twisted, and the colours swam in front of my eyes, before ceasing entirely, the pain disappearing as soon as it threatened to reach my mind.

"Someone's testing the boundaries of our worlds. They know we're under attack – this is just a distraction," I gasped, sending them an attempt at a smile that probably mirrored a grimace.

Lia rolled her eyes and drew her wand, her eyes going blank as she smiled slightly, whispering her spell as though it would hurt her.

"Expecto Patronum."

The wolf burst out, and I cocked my head to the side, noticing subtle changes in her wolf. Before, it had been a bit scragglier, with less fur, and its ribs poking out. Now, it seemed to have blossomed, a thick coat covering its body as it looked at Lia with a kindness she often did not see.

Skye's eyes narrowed, and I felt her aura darken as she gazed at the wolf in disdain.

"Meet me at Hagrid's cabin. He is here." Lia told the creature sharply. "We are under attack."

With a final bow of its head, the wolf rubbed its head against her hand and trotted away, its tail hanging as it walked away.

Not one for waiting, Skye tore her bag open, pulling two lengths of fabric out, and pushing them into our hands. The fabric was rich as velvet, as though it was woven from the very fabric of the night.

Skye climbed out onto the ledge of her window without hesitation, perched like a monkey about to jump.

"Skye, get down!" I screamed, latching my hands onto her shoulders as I pulled her back into the room, a flash of green light hitting the wall where Skye had just stood.

Lia blanched entirely, her eyes trained on the spot where the spell had hit.

_This is real. They are trying to kill us._

"Get the bloody cloaks on!" Skye ordered us, her voice forbidding any objection. Shaking Lia back to life, we slipped into the cloaks, and I glanced at Skye, who was looking at us with desperation.

"They're here," we said together, as though a timeless, primeval voice were speaking for us.

"Do you trust me?" she turned to us, her voice grave.

"Like a sister."

She smiled sheepishly, and wrapped her arms around our waists, practically tying us to her own body.

"Then hold on," she smirked, climbing onto the ledge with the agility of a feline. Before I had the chance to object, she jumped off, flying through the air before landing soundlessly on Hagrid's lawn, ignoring Lia's shrieks. She hated brooms.

"I think I'm gonna hurl," she warned, sitting on a pumpkin with her head between her knees.

"Cora, what in the name of Merlin is going on?" Hagrid yelled, bumbling out of his cottage, his beard thankfully restored to its former glory.

"Aves…" I replied robotically, kneeling down on the grass as my eyes went white, searching for Aves in the Castle. Detector powers were among my weakest, and Lia crouched beside me, rubbing circles on my back gently.

"Where?" Skye demanded, her eyes roving the skies like they were swarming with unknown dangers.

"Ravenclaw Common Room," I gasped, looking at Lia . "Lee, you got this?"

She merely nodded, grinning widely as she pulled me into her arms and ran into the forest, waving happily to us as she did. _Sometimes that girl worries me. _

Sighing, I pulled out my wand and directed it at the sky, whispering a spell of Cassandra's creation. They would all be under my protection tonight.

"Draco could be a big help right now," I heard Skye tell herself, as she swept off her robe, revealing a pair of black pants, a long green shirt and a tool belt adorned with tools of war. The blades of her daggers glinted menacingly, and her eyes narrowed as she perused the Castle with a practised skepticism."Who here is likely to turn on you?"

"I don't know!" I answered, my heart beating faster than I ever thought possible. Never had I felt so helpless, so unprepared for what was to come.

"The dungeons," Skye muttered, her eyes closed tightly as her body swayed against the light breeze. "Astronomy tower," she nodded, opening her eerie eyes with a look of vengeance.

"I'll meet you in Ravenclaw Tower in ten minutes," she told me curtly, turning to run. The image of a too-familiar face, with messy hair and mossy eyes, flew in front of my eyes and I held out a hand to stop her. I could not let him go free.

"Skye? You can find people?" I asked her tentatively, my cheeks lighting up like a tomato.

"Yes?" she replied, although her eyes were trained on the heights of the Astronomy Tower rather than on me.

"Find Aidan Vestey," I requested, and she smiled softly, before closing her eyes, her hand gripped tight around a dagger.

"Library," she grinned knowingly, and I replied with a small smile of my own. Reaching into her belt, she pulled out a small vial and handed it to me with a skeletal hand.

"Ravenclaw Tower!" I reminded her, running off at full speed towards the Entrance. The grass crinkled under my feet and my breath became little more than a smog of condensing water in front of me as I willed my body to run even faster.

Mentally noting that I needed to run more often, I slipped into the Entrance Hall, staggering breathlessly towards a Portrait that lined the wall.

"Dear me! Students out of bed at this hour? Not in my time, I tell you-" they begun, but I cut them off with a glare.

"Tell Dumbledore that the Elves are here. He'll know what to do," I interrupted, and they shot me disapproving looks.

"Do you expect us to just let a little girl like you, barely into her first year, fight a supposed army of Elves?" they inquired, letting out jeers of laughter as they gestured to me.

"Go, or I set this whole tableau on fire. Enchantments don't stop the most powerful thing there is," I spat, and they froze, one of them scurrying off the edge of the portrait. "Thank you," I told them neatly, before turning on my heel and climbing the stairs, not even bothering to watch out for Prefects or Teachers.

I reached the Library minutes later, out of breath and fatigued. The room was dark, save for a source of light that illuminated a lone desk at the end of the bookshelves. As I neared closer, I saw him, hunched over an Ancient Runes assignment as it was the most fascinating thing he had ever seen. The book beside him, an old, musty book I had read myself, was wide open, and he glanced at it on occasion, muttering to himself as he did so.

"You really shouldn't be here, Core," he said absently, not looking up from his paper as he did so.

"Neither should you," I replied smartly, and he grinned, pulling out a piece of scarlet paper from under the pages of the work.

"Special Pass, Rattigan. Dumbledore gave it to me," he smirked, his eyes glittering with ease as he glanced my way. But my ears sensed the increase of his heart rate, as well as the shift in his aura and the tensing of his muscles as his eyes rested on me. "But pull up a chair, I'm sure he won't mind."

"Can't. I have someplace to be," I stated bluntly, noticing his wince as I said so.

"The obvious question remains, then. Why are you here?" he snapped, standing up angrily, and pushing himself from the desk.

"Because I have to keep you safe," I whispered, and he stopped, turning to me softly. I felt a single tear roll down my cheek, and he rushed over, pulling me into his arms. His embrace calmed my heart and soothed my fears, my worries,

"From what, Core? I'm in a Library, the worst thing I can get is a paper cut," he asked me, using the tip of his finger to wipe the tear from my face. His aura shifted, however, and I tensed beneath his grip.

"Liar. You know what's happening tonight," I glanced at him, and his face twisted in guilt.

"If you think I would just let you risk your life without anyone to help-" he began, but I cut him off, pushing him away with all the strength I possessed.

"Here we go again, Aidan. The lies, the deceit. You will never learn," I breathed, pulling the vial out of my jumper's pocket. Before he could stop me, I threw the vial in front of me, a wall of black fire arising where the potion had spilled.

"Cora!" he yelled, but I just shook my head at the flames, a tear rolling down my cheek as I turned on my heel and ran out of the library.

Several minutes later, I reached Ravenclaw Tower, the portrait glancing at me in admiration as I ceased to run.

"You're here for Avery," it said softly. It wasn't a question.

"Yes," I replied, and she smiled in return. She was an odd-looking thing, with hair so thin it appeared nonexistent and brown eyes that shone with sympathy and wisdom beyond her years.

"That heart of yours could kill you someday," she chastised, although her tone indicated that the outcome did not quite matter to her.

"As long as it doesn't kill anyone else first," I spat, turning my head to the sound of footsteps coming from the south side of the corridor. Before my sight allowed me the gift of recognition, I sensed the thoughts of the individual, recognising Skye's systematic and erratic thoughts.

"You really shouldn't have done that," I commented, seeing that she had encountered Zach and locked him in a closet.

"He's a liar. Plus a coward. Not my favourite combination of person. There's also the thing that we need all the help we can get," she defended herself, her mouth reeking of the sickly-sweet and bitter venom she now produced,

"True… but you scared the crap out of him," I reminded her, although it was hard not to suppress laughter at the image of his face. _It's not his fault,_ I told myself, but my love for Lia impeded unbiased thinking of him.

"Better scared of me than some glamourised girl," she grinned, revealing rows of shiny white teeth as she did so. Gulping audibly, I looked further into Skye's memories, only to be greeted by a face I had never seen before: a girl with chestnut, flowing hair and eyes the colour of cinnamon.

"Who?" I asked her, recoiling out of her mind like a rubber band. She shrugged, and turned to the door, a famous sneer on her face as she glanced at the painting.

"I didn't delve," she replied, and I took a deep breath, preparing myself for another round of screaming. My rant, however, was cut short by the sound of a high-pitched scream originating from the Common Room of the Tower. With a look to the portrait, the door opened, and we rushed in, Skye's senses on alert as we did so.

Except for Alec and Aves, the room was empty, a slow-burning fire crackling in the fireplace. Were it not for the gravity of the situation, I would have just stood in awe of the simple grandeur this room was decorated in. Unlike our Common Room, theirs was focused more on use rather than comfort, with the entire walls covered in a continuous bookcase that was only interrupted at the centre by a grand silver statue of Rowena herself.

Aves was on the ground, her eyes wide with panic as she writhed on the bronze-coloured carpet, her fingernails clawing at her reddened skin. It had begun to give way in some areas, leaving her raw flesh open to the air. Alec was beside her faithfully, trying to keep her calm, yelling words of comfort into her ear. He himself was fairly wounded, a gash above his left eyebrow bleeding heavily.

Skye stopped dead in front of me, moving Aves into the air with a wave of her hand, so that Aves' arms were floating away from her body.

"I don't know what happened! We were laughing, or she was laughing one minute, the next she was screaming! What's happening?" Alec yelled, getting up so he could see me properly. Shaking my head, I placed my fingers against his wound, letting it seal itself under my touch.

"Um… it's her birthday?" Skye replied nervously, blushing a dashing red that couldn't come from embarrassment. Alec narrowed his eyes at her before glancing my way, his eyebrow raising in an unspeakable question. I merely shrugged in response and he shook his head, turning to her.

"Her birthday? Of course it is, but why is she like this?" he screamed, his voice ringing powerfully through the room. His words, oddly enough, were directed at Skye, not at me, and I found myself oddly relieved by that fact, before being seized by an immeasurable guilt. _After all she's been through, you still take comfort in the fact that she is there. That she's there for blame._

"Skye, set her down," I breathed, wincing slightly as I glanced at Skye, trying to push the voice from my head. She staggered slightly, supporting herself against a chair as I stepped forward, looking at Aves, who shot me a terrified glance. _I am so SO sorry for this._

"Aves, just stop," I ordered the creature above me, my voice as emotionless as the darkness with which it was being consumed. Immediately, Aves stopped writhing, her body as still as a rock, and her eyes blank as fog. Swallowing heavily, I turned to Skye and smiled nervously, trying to reassure her of my control. But I felt Skye testing my aura gently with her powers, and I rolled my eyes, knowing my ruse had failed.

"I can only control her for so long," I admitted shamefully, feeling worthless as I realised just how much I relied on the weak woman beside me. As if controlled by some ethereal force, Skye's hand rested on my shoulder, shocking me with power I had never known before. It was splendid, and yet addicting, as I watched Skye's body fall at my feet, her power stripped from her and given unto me. Shuddering slightly at my own thoughts, I turned to Alec, who seemed to be in complete awe and horror at what had transpired before him. Oddly enough, I knew precisely how he felt.

"Listen, she's transforming. It's going to be extremely hard on her, so if you're not up to it – leave," I warned him, an edge to my voice I knew I had not possessed before. _What had happened to me? This...this can't be me. _

Alec heard the change in my tone and drew himself up to his full height, the raven locks of his hair falling threateningly over his glinting eyes.

"Don't you dare – I love her, and I'm not going anywhere," he spat at me, his eyes softening as he glanced at the motionless figure. Gently, I lowered her onto the bed, and he rushed forward, grasping her frail hand in his, a desperate gesture that made my heart break. Love truly was a many splendoured thing.

"Just try to talk to her, convince her that she needs to stop. She's not herself right now," I told him, to which he merely nodded, shooting me a smile of bleary optimism as he brushed the stray hairs off Aves' face- a fact he knew Aves was obsessive about. Turning to Skye's fallen body, I kneeled beside her and whispered gently, my mouth beside her ear, "We need you out here."

Blinking drearily, she sat up, groaning as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Remind me never to transfer my soul again," she mumbled grumpily, rubbing at her eyes as though she had just awoken from a prolonged slumber.

"Never transfer your soul again," I smirked, surprised by my own response. Immediately, she recoiled from me, jumping to her feet with indignation evident in her eyes.

"I was trying to help!" she shrieked defensively, her voice rising several octaves in her fury. In response, my blood boiled, and my ears began ringing, as I stood tremulously, attempting to bring as much spite into my voice as possible.

"You did!" I insisted bitterly, and she relaxed, satisfied with my response. _That obstinate temper of yours will get you killed someday, you know, _the voice in my head muttered, before adding, _Or someone else, for that matter. _

"Good," she concluded, staggering back to rest against the pillows of a wing-backed armchair. Her aura rang of trepidation, as though she was afraid of her very self. Something was happening to her. _Isn't this a great time for war?_

The fluttering sound faded in and out of my ears, but I ignored it, passing it off as a vacant insect.

"She'll only be out a little while, but I have no idea what to do after that. Healing her isn't an option," I stated gravely, Alec glancing up in worry at my words. Aves was slowly paling, and her flesh seemed to be mutating, as I could no longer determine her thoughts. My control began to slip and I shot a glance at Skye.

"How about we let nature take its course? The best we can do is keep her safe and calm," she deduced instantaneously, looking as though she had not put any thought into the decision whatsoever.

"What do you mean, 'safe'?" Alec said shakily, his voice trembling as the taboo thought ran through his head. Skye looked impossibly annoyed at this, and seemed to be struggling not to roll her eyes in exasperation.

"Big bad guy from her past?" she answered him curtly, apparently amazed at his inability to come to a finite conclusion. But none of us particularly enjoyed the mention of my best friend's bane.

"Him?" His skin paled considerably, as he turned his head towards me. Forcing myself to look him in the eye, I nodded bleakly, the ponderous weight of failure sinking my heart.

"So… can my multiple personalities come out, then?" Skye inquired, her eyes bright and eager. Surprised by her sudden change in mood, I cocked my head to the side, like a dog studying a newfound discovery.

"Could you rephrase the question?" I requested, my rare befuddlement clearly exemplified as Skye smiled softly.

"I'm here to help, aren't I? And my multiple personalities can help protect her," she told me, as though it had been the most obvious thing in the world. Biting my lip, I recalled a page from Morgana's book that spoke of a Newid's glare, the very part of their soul that connected them to the essence, thus giving them their incredible abilities.

"Who?" I whispered nervously, glancing at Skye skeptically, who merely grinned proudly in response, as though Snape himself had declared his undying love for her. _Well, he is her father, after all. _

"Meet my shadow," she announced, her voice resounding of grandeur, as she turned to the wall, pointing her wand at the shadow she had created. _"Umbra!"_

In front of my eyes, the shadow pulled its foot from Skye's, reminding me of Peter Pan, and jumped from the wall, its hands on its hips. The figure was three-dimensional, but without any distinct features, much like a solid body of fog. Laughing exuberantly at the power of magic, I pulled the book from my pocket and enlarged it, flipping through the pages until I found the one I had educed.

"I know that spell! Though it's my glare, not my shadow," I drew my own wand and pointed it at myself. _"Lumen," _I muttered, shuddering as a figure identical to myself appeared, its body gleaming silver-blue like the surface of a star. Without it, I felt powerless and empty, as though I had done something profoundly wrong by exposing this pure thing to the evil of the world.

"No, my shadow. I could also provide some wings for the fighters. You know, if an Avada hits them-" Skye began, though her eyes were trained on the figure I had just produced. Shaking my head swiftly, I turned at the shadowy figure, from which my emanation was recoiling.

"No, it'll interfere with their Paraxenic abilities," I interrupted, my mind turning worriedly toward the army that had so willingly volunteered for this task. How many would die tonight, at the hands of mindless creatures? I knew they would do this willingly, Aves being closely beloved by every one of them, but should I not have allowed the adults to protect her, instead of a group of mismatched kids?

"Well? Are you waiting for a better day?" Skye's voice brought me back to reality, as she glared at her shadow, which gave her a salute before diving from the window into the grounds below.

"You stay," I pleaded to my light, and she nodded, returning swiftly to my body. I felt whole again in an instant, my doubts erased from thought.

"She'll keep the forces out, but not inevitably," Skye mused, turning to Aves, who was emitting tiny noises of agony in her stupor.

"We can't hope that. Don't suppose Merlin had something on this?" I asked, sitting myself down on the surface of a table while she pondered the thoughts of her forefather.

"Shape-shifting, yes," she affirmed, her eyes going blank as she sifted through the knowledge passed down to her through the ages.

Oddly enough, my gaze turned to Alec, who remained stoic beside the side of my friend. I knew he could not survive her loss with an intact soul, both having found solace from the evils of humanity in each other. Yet, he did not let himself shed a single tear as he sat beside her, muttering words unspeakable to others, private to the two of them. Smiling to myself, I began turning the pages to my own archive of wisdom, determined to allow their sacred bond to endure.

Alec's POV

I could not believe this was happening again. After all these years, the universe still tried to take away that which I most loved, as though it exulted in my misery.

"Don't leave me, please," I whispered to the rigid figure beneath me, the very same words I had cried to Suze as she slipped from the world. _Fat lot of good that did at the time._

Was it possible to know a person for so little time and not be able to live without them? My Slytherin arrogance told me I could live beyond this, but my soul knew the girl below me had changed my life forever. Without her, my world seemed grayscale, without colour or reason.

"Keep calm at all times," I heard the Empress tell Cora, an exasperated tone to her voice."Yes, that much is obvious," she sniggered, and my face clouded in darkness. _Easy for you to say._

Reaching up to remove a fleck of dust from Aves' face, I noticed a viscous stream of red liquid forming at the corner of her mouth.

"Is that normal?" I exclaimed, dabbing at the blood with the white sleeve of my shirt. Aves' breathing grew erratic, and my eyes darted to Cora, who was looking frantically at the immense book in her lap.

"Shss!" she hushed me, gnawing at her lip with an animal urgency. Finally, she looked up, her eyes bright with discovery. "I found it!"

"And?" Skye demanded urgently, leaning against the wall for support. Her eyes looked out the window in worry, and my instinct to flee rose once again. But I could not leave. Not again.

"This is seriously complicated runes, give me a second. My brain may be hardwired for this, but it doesn't mean I don't need to think!" Cora shrieked back, her face locked in intense concentration. Feeling useless, I continued to dab at the blood on her porcelain face, letting the sanguine substance stain the ivory fabric.

"Maybe I can help?" Skye offered impatiently, causing me to glance up at the pair. I knew Cora hated to be beat in anything, that her knowledge was the only way of affirming her fate.

"Oh… just… ugh! Here!" She shoved the book away from her, tears forming in her eyes. The Empress took a singular glance at the page, and began translating them audibly, without pausing for breath. Cora rose bitterly and kneeled beside me, placing her palm on Aves' head. I shot her a look of skepticism, my eyebrow raised dramatically, and she emitted a sound I took for laughter. Even the One needed reassurance on occasion.

"During the time in which the elf goes through a transformation, the soul is at war with itself. Dark and light fight for dominance; causing utter inner turmoil. As it is, the elf's cells will begin to reconstruct. This is particularly arduous on the elf, as their body may not be strong enough. Some forget everything entirely, and are born anew. There is nothing no one can do, but the elf is most vulnerable during this. The pain shall be out to the point of near death. In ancient times, this was seen as a process of purification, of dividing the stronger from the weak. If the elf survives, they will receive powers beyond anything they ever imagined," Skye dictated, my horror rising at her words. She might not remember us, who she was? "So we can't help her at all?" Skye concluded, her voice showing a slight inkling of panic at the realisation.

"Basically," Cora shook her head, using her own sleeve to wipe of the blood, as I had been rendered effectively catatonic by the book's unfeeling words. "But that counts for only full elves, not half-elves. I don't think her human-part will be able to survive it."

_Thank you Cora, for your never-ending optimism!_

"She will," Skye told the figure beside me, whose tears were staining her face. Aves was like a sister to her, I knew, and her worst fears were unfolding in front of her. Throughout this whole ordeal, Aves had acted as her support, and a fierce protector as well. They were inseparable. Turning to me, she placed a hand on my shoulder in an attempt to assure me of the same.

"All right. We need to distract her, otherwise she'll attack," she spoke suddenly, wiping the tears from her face and speaking with the voice of a true leader. As she stood, she shuddered involuntarily, and I knew she had removed her control over Aves.

"Alec?" the Empress glanced at me expectantly, and I leaned over the beautiful, red-haired girl, gripping her hand gently in mine.

"Aves? Are you there, love?" I whispered nervously, and her eyes fluttered open, revealing the red veins that had been hidden by her lids. She groaned miserably, and raised a shaky hand to cover her eyes from the dim light of the room.

"Come on, Aves, what's the square root of fourteen?" Skye demanded playfully, ignoring my deathly glare as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"3.741657," she replied, her voice sounding as though it had gone through a meat grinder. I smiled briefly at her brilliance, as she began struggling. Out of instinct, my arms held her down, and she looked at me fearfully, writhing even harder against my grip.

"Plus pi?" Skye asked nervously, her voice soothing as a cup of tea. _She's trying to calm her down!_

"Hello to you too, Skye," Aves groaned, calming her limbs and shooting me a smile. I released her from my grip, wincing as I saw the bruises my hands had left upon her. Gulping loudly, I rose from the floor and backed away slightly, feeling sick at what I had done. "I feel like hell. What's happening to me?" she asked us worriedly, looking at me quizzically.

"Happy Birthday," Skye congratulated weakly, causing Aves to snort in response, her body stiff as a board.

"Some birthday-" she mused, rubbing her head with a wince.

"Enough. Aves, I can't suppress the pain much longer. We need to get you through this – he's here," Cora declared, and Aves' eyes widened, gazing at me in worry. Nodding solemnly, she turned to Cora and shot her a look that I was unable to decipher.

Her body began convulsing again, as the powers left her, though still keeping her on the bed.

"How can I help?" Skye asked, running her hand through her hair.

"Stay here. You have to keep her safe-" our leader replied, inhaling sharply as she removed all constraints from Aves.

Within the blink of an eye, Aves began screaming again, falling to the ground and thrashing blindly. Her eyes rolled back into her head, the blood beginning to seep from her eyes as well.

I was immobilised by the sight in front of me, wanting to do something, but feeling powerless to the force that was torturing my love. _You'll always be useless._

"No! This isn't happening!" Cora yelled, jumping to her feet and pointing her wand at herself. The glowing being that she had conjured earlier jumped from her, nodded at the unspoken orders and settled itself in Aves, who stopped convulsing almost immediately.

"What did you do?" Skye whispered, rendered speechless by what had just transpired in front of us.

"Those were my powers," a voice replied, although it was not entirely Cora's. It spoke with the same tone and timbre, but it lacked something indescribable that hers possessed. "I can only pray it works…"

"How do I help?" Skye asked, disarmed by the figure in front of her.

"I don't know!" the voice broke, sending Cora into a fit of tears. A look of realisation creeped onto Skye's face, and she led her to an armchair, before turning away.

"I'll guard the door," she muttered, and Cora merely smiled blankly, causing my jaw to drop. Who was this?

"Yeah..." the voice said again, drifting off as Cora's face grew silence threatened to envelop me, but I could not stop staring at the figure in disbelief.

"Why are you staring?" Skye asked me, turning briefly as she wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead.

"I've never seen Cora like this," I admitted, my voice cracking with emotion. I now realised why we had chosen Cora as our leader, as opposed to someone who actually wished to take upon such a responsibility. No matter what, Cora remained undeniably herself, caring more about the ones around her rather than herself. Presently, she was vulnerable, and it caused a shiver to run down my spine. We were at our most susceptible.

"Who's Cora?" the voice asked blankly, Cora's head turning towards me. Her eyes were locked into a single colour-a bland grey-and her limbs seemed little more than playthings at her side.

"Alec, she's in Aves," Skye told me, her voice trembling with worry. She waved a hand toward the body on the chair that belonged to our leader. "This is not the entire her."

"Still, will she be all right?" I inquired, wanting nothing more than to feel secure once more. I felt like I was being controlled by Iz once again, being forced into doing something vile against my will.

"I think so," she stated, her voice firm in her resolve. Stooping down, I lifted Aves' comatose body into my arms and carried her to the sofa, where I laid her gently, placing a kiss on her hand.

I turned to Skye, who was standing away with an air of obvious discontent. Recalling her previous visit, I realised that she had been forced to change, dramatically so.

"What happened?" I asked her, walking forward so I was looking her directly in the eye. In a way, she reminded me of Lia, or of what she could become. They had the same tendencies, the same oddities. The same method of concealment.

"With her? I don't know," she said dismissively, looking at the knife in her hands. Tugging the collar on my neck, I unfastened it, allowing it to fall away from my skin. The collar was not a fashion statement as much as a means for concealing the small tattoo on the side of my neck. An eye, weeping uncontrollably. I had gotten it after Suze had died, when I had been able to escape.

"No. With you. You're different. No longer the silly teenage girl, but… battle-scarred, almost. You're frightened beyond belief, too. You didn't strike me as a person that would be squeamish," I told her bluntly, and she looked at me, her eyes conveying surprise at my directness. She inhaled sharply, and leant against the table.

"I killed my brother," she admitted, as though the fact sounded alien to her own conscience. A face, pale as the moon and glancing at me with my own eyes, appeared behind my eyes, and I gulped down the tears.

"It's never the same after, is it?" I breathed sharply, the pain cutting through my heart like a million daggers. "The loss of a sibling."

"He asked me to kill him. But it still counts as murder. Even after…" her voice dissipated into nothingness, as she rubbed her wrists unconsciously. Her actions were undeniably similar to Aves', and a wave of realisation hit me. She had been raped, by her brother nonetheless. And _he_ was out there, battling against my friends, my comrades.

"You don't have to tell me. I wish I could tell you that it gets better," I muttered soberly, recalling the Dementors I had come across last week. Would they face those tonight as well?

"It won't. Thing is, I don't know if I can forgive him," she conceded, her shoulders drooping with the impregnable sorrow and guilt she was experiencing.

"You will," I said, though I felt the doubt ringing through every syllable. Aves had refused outright to talk of her time in her village, at the mercy of her sick brother. But her scars told me enough. I would never let them touch her again.

"Not when it means a divorce," she sighed drearily, her finger unconsciously rubbing the place where her ring normally rested. Recalling all of what Cora and Lia had told me of the novel, I leant against the wall and placed my arms behind my head.

"Draco won't divorce you," I stated, confident in my assumptions. She had been so exuberant at her engagement the last time she had been here, I could not imagine it otherwise. "He's not stupid enough for that."

"Still. I might… Gah!" she exclaimed in frustration, spitting at the expanse of wall beside me, which began corroding within seconds. Rearing up, I turned at her in anger.

"Fine! Sorry for bothering the Empress!" I spat bitterly, though regretting it as she flinched. Before I could take it back, she rounded on me fiercely, raising her hand as though she wished to slap me. Her eyes spoke of a soul in torment with itself, its fate, an expression Cora wore constantly.

"Do not mess with me today! Not when I'm as messed up as vomit in a tumble drier!" she shrieked, her hand dropping at her side as she stormed away from me. Her terminology confused me and I turned around, my hands in my pockets as the questions blazed in my head.

"What's a tumble dryer?" I asked, my tone of voice surprising even myself. She rolled her eyes, as though she had previously explained this to any number of people.

"A muggle device that dries clothes," she replied, the anger dissipating from her voice as she slipped into teacher-mode.

"Really? How does it work?" I inquired further, feigning intense curiosity as to the inner workings of tumble dryers. She calmed immediately, her face turning insightful as she thought deeply.

"I don't know. Hot air's blown into the machine, and the clothes spin, drying it, I think," she described, before nodding to herself in satisfaction.

"Sick!" I exclaimed, as though I had never heard of anything more amazing than a tumble dryer.

"Yes, well…" she began, before grinning widely, her eyes sparkling with mirth. "Props for attempting to distract me."

"Props accepted. You needed it," I grinned back, feeling a sense of pride in my powers of distraction. "And I quite like having all of my limbs, seeing as you looked like you're about to rip away every single one I had."

She laughed at my musings and walked toward the window, her face falling as she pondered the battle raging below.

"I wonder how it's going down there," she mused, and I shrugged, trying to mask my worry with indifference. Although I did not know everyone quite as well as Aves did, I did not wish for their deaths either. After what they had done to her, I did not want to imagine what they were like during the full force of war.

"If you put Lia in charge, it's fine," I said honestly, knowing her to be more than capable of leading troops. Skye shot me a look of disbelief, but I ignored it. Lia was stubborn and exceedingly crafty, a worthy opponent if there ever were one.

"All of the traitors are locked in the castle, and Huber nearly wet himself when I showed up out of nowhere," she smirked, clearly amused at the idea. My thoughts turned to Iz, who undoubtedly would have escaped the clutches of even the Empress. _It can't hurt to hope._

"What about Iz?" I asked, attempting to seem indifferent about the whole thing, although my heart was beating into my throat.

"Who?" she looked at me cryptically, and I let the indifference melt away. What use was it now?

"My sister," I admitted, and she nodded, closing her eyes slowly. The tension was palpable as I stood there in silence, occasionally glancing at Aves' still body. Cora had begun looking around absentmindedly, her face as impassive as I had ever seen it.

Finally, Skye shook her head, and her eyes opened, focusing on the wall.

"What? She's not here?" I asked in shock, my blood running cold at the thought that she could be anywhere.

"I can't find her." Skye shrugged her shoulders, and glanced my way carefully, as though assessing my mental health.

"Damn," I cursed bitterly, the uncomfortable shudder down my back making its grand reappearance. Whose life was she ruining now? A thought ran through my head, making me gasp loudly.

"What?" Skye demanded, and I turned to her, shaking off the disturbing thought.

"Think about it. Why wouldn't she be here?" I continued, and she shook her head in bewilderment.

"I don't know. Is she planning world domination? I don't know much about your world yet," she admitted, and my brain began working at light speed. _Iz knew concealment charms, she could control me as no other, she could make me forget..._

"I can't believe this, Skye, I think I'm the traitor!" I exclaimed, running my hands furiously through my hair. Her eyes connected with mine, and I felt her invading my mind, searching everywhere for any clue as to my involvement. If I was the traitor, I knew I would run and never look back, no matter how much it hurt me.

"The traitor's female," she assured me, pulling out of my mind with a kind of satisfaction tangible in her voice.

"Are you sure?" I asked, smiling exuberantly at her face, which showed no trace of lying. It wasn't me.

"Yes," she added, smiling widely and laughing at the relief on my face.

Suddenly, there was a blinding flash of red light, coming from both inside and outside. Exchanging a brief glance, we rushed to the window, surprised to find nothing apart from the battle sounds in the Forest there. Skye's jaw was clenched, however, as though she had just seen something despicable in nature.

"Hello," a voice said from behind us, and I whirled around, stopping dead in my tracks. The girl in front of me was undeniably Aves, although she had clearly gone through some physical changes. Her hair was still a vibrant red, but her eyes were now a bright brown, the colour of chestnuts. She stood a tad taller, about a head and a half below me, and her skin seemed to nearly glow as she smiled shyly. Dark lines were beginning to appear across the skin of her arms, as though someone was running ink under the layers of her skin. My breath caught in my throat as I kept looking at her-I couldn't believe she was mine. She was perfect.

"How are you feeling?" Skye asked tentatively, shooting me a look as I continued to openly stare at my girlfriend.

"Better," she sighed, smiling brightly as a the light figure jumped out of her and back into Cora. "Thank you, Core."

Cora got up, albeit shakily, and shook her mane out like a lion out of slumber.

"Anytime," she breathed out in relief, hugging Aves tightly. "But you do realise we need to fight?" she added, her voice nervous as she glanced at Aves, whose eyes darkened, looking outside.

"Yes. And Rhain's mine. I need to do this, or I'll never be rid of him," she declared, rubbing her wrists. The transformation had erased the physical scars, but not the emotional ones. As she looked out upon the battle that we were going to face, I promised myself that I would never let anyone touch her again. I could only hope she was willing to let me.

**A/N: So, how was it? I loved Alec in this chapter, personally, and those who have looked at the newest poll seem to agree. Aves/Alec and Will/Justin are tied for favourite couple. Which I totally agree with, they are my favourites too. I have a couple others too, but that's beside the point. A shout out for SkyeElf, who helped me with this chapter. Also, a shout out to Alberto, the rat I dissected. Thank you for letting me remove your heart. Yes, I am this weird. As always, please leave a review, hugs and flames are always welcome. I think I shall give virtual ice cream to those who review. Chocolate and mint ice cream. **


	51. Death

**A/N: Hey, there! I'm back! Yes, summer is out, so I have more time to write now! It's amazing, I know. Unfortunately, I have taken up an internship and I am still teaching the kiddies at my dojo, so the updates won't be as frequent. Please don't kill me. But, if you want, I have another fic that you guys can read...*smiles hopefully*. So, for a quick notice: Will/Justin are currently our favourite couple, which I can totally understand. They're fecking adorable. Next in line is Alec/Aves, who will be under some scrutiny in this chapter, so be happy. This is the battle chapter, and it commences the end of Book One. It's terribly sad, I know. I wish to give my sincere thanks to the Elves, Batmarcus, StrawberryFantasia, and Girl-with-Gloves for their wonderful reviews. I love you guys. This goes out to the WoodElf(you know who you are) for being my music consultant, and for Morgane, who I missed so bloody much! And a huge thank you to Sis, who literally walked me through Rhain's character, because I just can't think from his point of view. I love you so much!**

**Soundtrack Suggestions: Night of the Hunter by 30 Seconds to Mars, 2nd Sucks by A Day to Remember, and Riot by Three Days Grace. Any one will work, but I like the first a lot!**

Aves' POV

My stomach churned uncomfortably as I looked out the window onto the grounds below, the memories I had suppressed for so long rushing back into my head. Somewhere below us, my worst nightmares were fighting my friends to the death, under the command of my own brother. As my eyes roamed the forest blankly, they briefly connected to a pari of obsidian eyes I knew could only belong to Rhain. My blood boiled at the sight, and I clenched my hand into a fist, pushing out the memories from my thoughts. No one would own me ever again.

"Dibs on fairy-like dude," Skye commented, her eyes focused on a figure flying between the branches, narrowly avoiding Galadriel's streams of indigo fire. My new ears allowed me to hear even further, and I caught the sickening crunch of bone, making the goosebumps rise on my arms. Alec noticed this, and enveloped me in a gentle embrace as I continued to look at the battlefield.

"Fairy-like dude?" Cora looked at Skye in question, squinting her eyes to see the figure Skye had been speaking of. Raising an eyebrow, I inspected her bemused face, observing that she could not clearly see the scene before her. Damn Rhain and his elven magick! Only people of nature could see the destruction he was wreaking from a distance. _Although, _I thought, glancing at Cora's haphazardly bitten lip, _that might be for the best. _I knew she was intensely worried for the people below, the natural instinct of any true leader.

"Yeah, that guy," Skye tugged at Cora's sweater impatiently, and pointed some five feet above the tree-line. "The one with sickeningly orange hair and black wings."

My stomach churned again at her precise description, and I averted my eyes from the window, choosing instead to glance upon my hands in anxiety. The black lines of my fate were slowly forming, although I knew they would not finish until I had taken my place in the tribe. I shot a look at Cora, whose eyes were now permanently morose, realising that this was how she must feel all the time. Her destiny was not in her own hands, and now, mine was being tattooed permanently for the world to see. Alec tightened his arms around me and placed a kiss on the top of my head, and my breath caught in my throat. I could lose him because of this, forced into a loveless marriage and a life I loathed.

"That's Ruadhan," I commented off-handedly, pulling myself away from Alec's grip to place a hesitant hand on Skye's shoulder. _Empress, he was one of the elves that… that…_

"Raped you," she finished, her thoughts dripping with venom as she her hand wrapped around a knife in her belt. "That was why I called dibs."

I nodded mutely and reached for my wand, sighing in relief as my hand touched the hilt. _I am not one of them, not completely. _The thought calmed me completely and I decided to scrutinise the incoming voices even further. I could now hear the pleas of every creature within a mile's radius of here, Galadriel's battle-worn cries booming over a majority of the rest. Aethelraed and her tribe were silently assisting the Army, delaying the Elves from advancing like a tidal wave. But they couldn't hold them off forever, and Rhain had soldiers in the hundreds.

All of a sudden, Cora doubled over, her hand clutching the back of an armchair for support. She coughed violently, her face turning red from the strain and her curls falling into her face. As she continued hacking, blood began spewing from her lips and falling onto the floor in tiny, scarlet droplets. Covering her mouth with her hand, she took a deep breath and blinked drowsily.

"We need to go, now!" she urged us, raising herself up to her full height and holding out an arm to me. Smirking slightly, I shook my head and climbed onto the window frame, sending a reassuring smile to Alec as I jumped off, landing solidly on Kenewrec's back as he swooped to the ground, neighing in triumph. Skye blew past me, a determined look on her face as she swooped into the forest, looking for Ruadhan.

Kenewrec landed with matchless grace in a clearing, where Cora was already waiting, her eyes distant as she tried to take in the sight that befell us. Blood, both elven and human, stained the ground, and we were surrounded by an incessant chorus of spells and battles.

"How'd you get here?" I asked her, as we pushed ahead, throwing curses in our wake. We passed many confrontations, I saw Sam Evanson, a scrawny kid from my own house, holding off 3 elves on his own and smiled brilliantly. _We can do this. _

"Time-Manipulation. It's not pleasant, trust me," Cora muttered, sending a fiery curse to the elf that was standing over Will's scarred body. He jumped to his feet and grinned at us in encouragement, his glasses crooked upon his nose.

"Hey Sparky!" I heard Skye yell, and turned my head toward the noise, as he hovered several feet above her, a cocky grin across his features. The insignia on his neck indicated that he had been promoted to General, and his eyes flashed with amusement as he bantered with Skye, sending groups of elves her way as she did so.

"Well hello there, beautiful lady. Have I seen you somewhere before?" he greeted her, the blood from his dagger glinting in the light of the moon. Cora's eyes narrowed and I felt her grip on her wand tighten, prepared to fight Ruadhan to the death if she had to.

"Don't. I need you to cover me," I whispered to her, and she nodded, gesturing wordlessly to the tree canopy above her. She shot a hesitant glance at Alec, who nodded sombrely and ran off to help another, as she raised a shield around where I was situated, trying to find Rhain in the midst of the fighting.

"It would surprise me if you did, Sparky, you see, I'm not one to hang out at gang-rapings," Skye spat venomously, shooting a curse at his that he dodged with a simple turn of his position. I closed my eyes and found Galadriel, who was deterring any airborne attacks. Aethelraed and her herd were watching over the fighters, intervening when it was necessary.

"That was done for a reason. She was a bad, bad girl," I heard Ruadhan purr, and a shiver ran down my spine, my hands shaking slightly. Skye's eyes burned with flame and she shot a spell behind her, binding the attack that he had sent upon her.

"Surely you must know who I am, Sparky?" she inquired arrogantly, yawning widely for good measure. He fluttered his wings once more, but Skye was already in the air, landing on his back and pinning him to the ground, taking the time to look around her. Lia's hair was matted with blood as she battled several elves, Will beside her. Amber was growling, giving the wolf inside leeway as she savagely attacked them, her eyes even brighter than usual.

"I can't hold this much longer, Aves!" Cora shrieked, a trail of blood leaking her mouth, and her eyes fluttering rapidly as she tried to keep me hidden.

Placing a hand on the bark of the tree, I let my elven soul take over, and suddenly I was flying throughout the forest, seeing the battle reach its climax in front of me, from the eyes of the trees. I noticed a member of the army missing, but did not dwell on it much as I saw Lex and Jack battling together fiercely, her fangs bared and her eyes shining scarlet. Alec was battling alone, his face stony as he shot unknown curses at those around him, all while his eyes swam with tears.

Finally, I found Rhain, and he smirked in my direction triumphantly. _Shit! He's found me!_

I quickly removed my hand from the bark as Cora fell to her knees, her eyes bright silver as she looked at me in panic. Nodding subtly, I climbed down from the tree and glanced around me, hearing Skye threaten Ruadhan with the Tale of Sweeney Todd, her dagger poised at his throat.

I felt his presence nearing and I stepped out of the bubble, rooting my feet into the ground.

"STOP!" I screamed, the treble of ancient nature's spirit falling off my tongue as though it were part of me. Everyone froze, even Skye, as Rhain stepped from the bushes, his eyes brimming with death.

"No!" Alec rushed in front of him, his eyes crazed and my brother smirked in triumph, his fists clenched tightly. Gripping my wand in my other hand, I waved my right hand, and vines shot from the trees and wrapped themselves around Alec, rendering him immobile. He shot me a look of true terror, but I merely smiled sadly, my face becoming a mask as I turned to Rhain.

"Hello, brother," I greeted, my own voice sounding alien as it became frigid and emotionless. Alec struggled against his binds as Rhain stepped forward, the muscles in his arms rolling obviously. The terror bubbled in my throat, ebbing only as I felt the wooden charm upon my neck. Galadriel roared in support and Cora righted herself against a tree, her palms sparkling with electricity in preparation to help me if need be.

"Well, sister dear, how awfully nice to see you," Rhain replied, a smile gracing his lips. He, like me, had undergone a dramatic change in appearance. His hair now fell to his shoulders and was the colour of freshly spilt blood, and his stature was bulkier, with darkened skin that had not yet revealed his destiny.

"I can't say the same about you. You're too late, it's happened," I conceded, gesturing to the body I had acquired. Truly, I was impartial about my looks, but my ego had received a great boost at the look on Alec's face as I had awoken. I had no compunctions about my growth in height either, however minor it may have been, as Alec still stood at a head taller than I did.

"Well, you're incredibly full of it, aren't you? My sole purpose in life is not to make your life hell," he retorted angrily, and I found that his voice had regrettably not changed one bit. It was still the same as it had always been, and I shivered noticeably, my scars stinging painfully.

"All evidence points to contrary. After all that you have done to me, I cease to believe that you exist for any other purpose. But you knew you couldn't anything about my transformation, so why have you come? Has not enough blood been spilt? I remember Dad, Rhain. I was there when you murdered him," I spat, the memories of that day rushing back to me. In a way, I had been grateful, as our father had not been much better. He had been cruel to my mother, and, as Rhain was the elder of us, the duty had fallen upon him to fight for the throne. Yet, he did so without remorse, and he had mutilated the body after delivering the killing blow.

"Aw, you remembered the proudest moment of my life. I am truly touched. But, in answer to your question, no, enough blood has not been spilt. I am...serving another purpose, shall we say? I was all too aware that coming here would be a lost cause. But it serves a higher cause, so I come here, facing a battle already lost," he declared, stalking me in a circle. He waved his hand to the sky and I spotted the mark that graced his left forearm: an inky fleur-de-lis. My breath hitched in my throat and I saw Cora stiffen behind me, her eyes flashing indigo.

"You sicken me. And I sure hope this cause you are serving can survive without you. You're not leaving here tonight," I vowed and he laughed bitterly, rubbing his hands together. I felt the air around me heat up, and I narrowed in upon his tread: he left burnt grass in his wake.

"Yeah, I am quite a sickening person...not that I can be considered human, or even elf, anymore. As to me not leaving, I have been informed of my fates. Though I will always, always fight," he clenched his jaw, and looked away from me, as though the sight of me pained him. My grip around my wand tightened considerably whilst he rubbed the spot where he was marked, his blood leaking from the brand.

"For what? What are you fighting for? You have power, more than anyone should possess. Why are you so cruel?" I demanded, my voice desperate. He turned on his heel and faced me, his eyes flashing in anger. I willed myself not to shrink back under the gaze, although I could feel my heart beating sporadically in fear.

"You don't know what our father, the man you adore, did to me. Has it ever occurred to you that I am what I am for a reason?" he asked me then, his voice booming over the deafening silence of the battleground. I shook my head and looked him in the eye, surprised to see that his were welling with tears, even as his face was twisted in fury. The scars on my neck began stinging once again, and my blood boiled, winning over any trepidation I had about his guilt.

"Of course it has. But what you did to me was unimaginable. Has it ever occurred to you, Rhain, that this is perhaps not the best revenge? I am fully aware of the man my father was, and when I saw what he had done, I vowed to be different. You're just like him, brother. Mercy and love are beneath you," I snapped back, allowing my irrational anger to take over. Instantly, I felt my sentiments fade away, and the world around me became tinged in red. My memories retreated to the back of my mind, ceasing the trembling in my hands.

"It is, because it makes you weak. I saw what you'd become, and I wanted nothing of it. Dependent, ignorant, foolish, silly and blinded. Blinded by what you see as love. I readied you for the world. And yes, you hate me, but one day you will thank me," he countered, his voice sharp as the blade of a razor. He sneered darkly in my direction, his back straight as I looked away from him, cursing my own weakness. My eyes met Alec's and he smiled despite himself, the tears glazing over his eyes. Clenching my hands into fists, I focused on my happiest memory, just as though I were facing a Dementor, and looked my brother stonily in the eyes.

"Never. I will thank those that taught me to love, not those that made me believe everyone behaved as you do. But we'll see who's stronger, because I will not allow you to hurt our people anymore. No matter what they did to me, they deserve better. I challenge you to battle, just as you challenged our father. To the death," I declared, my new voice not revealing any trace of fear, merely determination. My old self would have never been able to complete this barbaric task ahead of me, but my new self seemed to accept it as her duty. A single tear rolled down my cheek as I realised that I had lost my humanity, that I was becoming as savage as my Elven brethren.

"You're on. But tell that girl to get off of the Captain of my army, won't you?" he demanded briskly, waving a hand at where Skye was standing, her knife at Ruadhan's throat. The elf smiled predatorily upon seeing me, and Skye's eyes flashed, pressing the knife firmer upon his neck, sending me a bright smile. I shot her a grin in return and turned on a Sickle to face Rhain, shrugging my shoulders.

"I cannot. You see, I hold power over everyone here, except for you, her and Cora. Skye and Cora are only under the appearance that I am controlling them; it is instilled in their minds. They are free to do as they wish, and I cannot force our Empress to do something she wishes not," I admitted, crossing my arms and looking at Cora pointedly. She nodded in response and the sparkling in her hands died down, her eyes turning back to their regularly worried grey-blue. I could feel the wheels turning in her head as she glanced at Rhain, her eyes fixated upon his left forearm, where the Mark was leaking a black substance that fell to the ground, leaving a stain across his forearm.

"Empress?" he stammered, his face turning white as he perused Skye carefully, his shoulders instinctually slumped at facing the woman who had the power to completely control our kind. She smirked triumphantly, flashing her teeth at Rhain in a simple threat.

"Yes, Empress. But this is between you and I. Skye is smart enough to know Elven law. You agreed to battle, and neither of us can live while the other survives," I told him, and he snorted in derision, glancing at me with apparent distaste.

"Gosh, how many times have you read Harry Potter? Do you really think everything will end up alright? A happy ever after? You'll marry Carmicheal and have twenty-three little babies? All perfect? She's planned it for years, sister. She's not nearly as stupid as Voldemort was," he retorted, his eyes narrowed at me in an eerily familiar, condescending manner. I slight shiver ran down my back, recalling the previous events such looks had preceded. Almost instantaneously, my muscles went rigid, and an odd warmth ran through my back, straightening it in spite of the fear that ran rampant in my head. Already, my Elven instincts were taking over, and I could feel the energy of the woods around me, calming me substantially. As Rhain rubbed his arm, I hazarded a glance at Lia, whose eyes were flashing bloody murder. She shot me a thin smile and mouthed, _"Kill him," _her eyes positively glowing at the thought.

"No, she is not. But she is foolish. Your Mistress plays on fear and love, not realising the power that we already hold. we have nothing to lose, and that makes us very dangerous people. Oh, and I don't think you should insult Harry in front of his sister. She gets quite miffed about that. Now, how would you prefer to fight?" I asked him passively, and he chuckled in surprise, ending his circumspection to stand across from me, a hand running through his hair. Finally, he smirked, glancing at my right hand and made a decision, his eyes boring into mine.

"Combat. No wands, no interference," he dictated sharply, glancing at Cora, whose eyes brimmed with disgust. I nodded in consent, ignoring Galadriel's cries of protest. My head turned to Alec, who had begun writhing under his bonds, the vine around his mouth muffling his cries. He was weeping unabashedly and I walked towards him in silence, placing my wand in his hand, and feeling immediately severed without it.

"As you wish. But I don't need it to kill," I whispered to Rhain, placing a gentle kiss on the side of Alec's cheek. He stopped struggling at the contact, and nodded, his head hung in defeat. Rhain laughed drily at my gesture and I proceeded to stand across from him, my muscles tensed in anticipation. His eyes glinted momentarily, and I took a deep breath, allowing the spirit of the woods to enter my very soul, to surround every cell within my body.

_Who are you?_ I asked myself silently, knowing this sudden power could not have been part of me. I felt everything around me, every breeze, the falling of every leaf, the bloom of every flower. Not even Elves had such abilities.

_I go by many names, young one. The Greeks called me Gaia, your people call me Druantia. But I have no name, for I am not a person, nor a thing, nor a Goddess, _the voice replied, shaking my bones to their core. The timbre of the voice implied age, surely, but I could not tell whether it was male or female, as it seemed to change constantly. Rather, it sounded like the whisper of the wind, the growth of grass, and the fall of rain, all in one, terrifying package.

_Then, what are you? How can I feel the forest in a way such as this?_ I asked, and the voice laughed merrily, as water nymphs did upon being discovered.

_I live within every thing that has ever been borne of the land. You, my child, are a creature as pure as the earth you tread upon, a physical embodiment of all that is around you. Thus, you feel all that is around you, and what is far beyond you as well, _the voice told me kindly, and I gasped, the warmth spreading out through my entire body. My eyes saw every movement before me, the spirit of every blade of grass and every leaf. Shaking my head, I glanced up to Rhain, noticing that the exchange between me and...whatever _that_ had been must have only lasted several seconds.

He smirked at me, and ran forward, his hands outstretched as he made a huge sweeping motion, as though he were sweeping the rug from under my feet. My ears caught the faint whisper of wind, and I launched myself from the ground, landing neatly on the branch of an oak tree. I crouched in a feline position and growled, all rational, human thought leaving my head as I leapt at him, my body transforming into that of a Gryphon, my hands shaping into paws and my mouth turning into an eagle's beak that let out a shrill cry.

I landed deftly on the ground, my wings poised as I glanced about, noticing that Rhain had somehow disappeared. Opening my eyes through the trees, I saw him leap onto my back, tearing at my wings with vengeful spite. My body morphed into my own in shock, and he took the advantage to place his hands around my neck, blocking my airflow completely. Placing my palms upon the ground, the warmth crawled back into my body, and flipped over, my back bent as my feet landed on his back, pinning him to the ground. Crying in jubilation, I aimed a punch at his ribs, near his heart, only to be met with soft ground, that rang out its rich voice in response to such abuse.

I stood up slowly, looking around me hurriedly as I tried to spot him. My eyes met his just as a ring of fire appeared around me, causing the voice to scream in pain, and a shot of fire to shoot through my body. Gasping slightly, I stopped the fire with two curtains of icy wind, parting the circle in half as I approached him, the vines shooting out of every tree to ensnare him in their grasp.

"Hear reason! You don't have to be this way!" I pleaded, clutching my thigh in pain. Looking down upon it in shock, I saw that the fabric of my jeans had been somehow burnt, the skin below it nearly charred as it screamed angrily, barely allowing me to walk upon it in any measure. Alec was weeping in his binds, and the voice was weeping as well, for the hundreds of souls that had been lost in the destruction of even that small fire.

"I have to be. When has 'reason' ever instilled its kindness on me? No, thank you," he whispered, his head lowered. Taking this as his only surrender, I turned away, before smelling the rancid stench of burning plants. I whipped around, just in time to see him sprinting towards me, his face set in determination and his hands balled into tight fists.

Using the balance of the earth to ground me, I pivoted my only working leg around, hitting him square in the chest, yelling out in pain as he staggered back, his arms outstretched to his side.

I jumped to my feet and ran over, gripping his arm and pivoting sharply, my shoulder acting as the fulcrum for a lever. Inhaling sharply, I tore his hand down, over my shoulder, as one would do to strike a sword, and he screamed in pain, his arm going limp in my hands as the shoulder dislocated from the socket.

"Please, Rhain. I don't want to do this," I begged, pushing him arm off of me and stepping away so that he could face me fully. He cradled his injured arm in his other hand and spat at my feet, his face twisted into an expression of deepest hatred that burnt me to my core.

"I've already agreed to this battle. I never back down," he hissed, gritting his teeth as he stood up, the muscles in his available arm rolling menacingly. I leant against my right leg and winced, the burn shooting a knife-like pain throughout my entire leg.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered, lowering my hands, palm-down towards the ground, and raising my eyes to the stars. As I closed my eyes, a tear rolled down my cheek and I rose into the air like a cork, not controlling my movements whatsoever. Opening my eyes, I clapped my hands together, feeling my eardrums reverberate painfully in response, and shoved the energy downwards, the earth splitting beneath me.

Rhain backed away, his eyes full of fear, as two red vines of electricity shot from the abyss, gripping his feat fast in their grip. He shrieked in fear, his eyes shining red as they pulled him in, his hands clawing at the ground beneath him, that did not give way.

"Aves!" he yelled, and I glanced down, his face showing emotion for the first time in ages, His hands had gripped the edge of the precipice, his eyes running with tears as he looked into the infinite blackness beneath. "I'm sorry! I do love you, and one day, you'll understand," he vowed, the ground closing above him as the vines won the battle, pulling him into whatever lay below him.

Slowly, I descended, landing upon the mossy earth without a sound. I crouched down, the tears refusing to escape my eyes as I looked down, whispering my apologies to the soul I had just destroyed. The voice left me then and I staggered slightly as I drew myself to my full height, inhaling a sharp, painful gust of air. Around me, wounded warriors and my people(though which were which, I was not certain) continued to watch the scene, frozen in place. Cora rushed forward but I shook my head, lifting my hand to stop her progression. My eyes roamed over the petite, bright-haired figures of the elves, and I locked eyes with Ruadhan, the chill barely making its way up my spine.

"Leave. Leave and never return," I commanded sharply, and they unfroze, their eyes blank as they gathered their weapons and made their way out of the clearing, their heads bowed in a gesture of loss. My heart trembled in my chest as I caught sight of all the wounded, whether by weapon or curse.

I rushed forward to Alec, ignoring the burning pain in my leg as I released Alec from the vines, enveloping him in my arms. His unique scent of burning wood, sea water and spicy cloves calmed me more than the voice had, and he placed a tender kiss on the top of my head, wrapping his arm around my waist to support me.

"Thank you," I told the people around me, who looked to me expectantly in return. The blood rushed to my cheeks immediately, but an insatiable urge to speak won over, and Cora sent me a knowing gaze that was too soul-searching for my own taste. "I don't deserve such good friends and allies as all of you." At this, Alec drew his arm tighter around me, ruffling my hair as though he were trying to convince himself that I was still the same person I had been several hours ago.

"No, Aves. We decided, long ago, that we'll all help each other," our curly-haired leader replied, her eyes stony with determination as she looked around with a rare raised eyebrow, daring anyone to deny her proclamation. She turned back to me with a smirk, seemingly satisfied with their benign silence.

"And I'm proud of you," Skye admitted, trying to push her thin frame from the ground to no avail. My eyes narrowed at the dark spot that surrounded her, and I sniffed slightly, the metallic stench of blood hitting me so strongly I thought I could taste it. "That's a lot of blood," she groaned, turning her head away from the sight, before her eyes widened, almost comically, her hand raising from her stomach, covered in the substance. "Is that _my_ blood?" Her eyes shot to Cora immediately, and the former blanched, her eyes going wide and dark at the realisation.

"Skye, you're hurt!" Lia shrieked, voicing everyone's thoughts into the darkness. I felt the urge to role my eyes at her innate ability to point out the obvious, but I held it back, disentangling myself from Alec's grip and walking forward shakily. He held out a wooden object, and I smiled brightly, seizing my wand into my hand and feeling relieved at its presence.

"Really? I had no idea," the Empress replied sarcastically, and I took a deep breath, focusing on the fluttering sound I had heard during the battle. Finally, I found it and I gasped, hearing the faltering rhythm of the heartbeat. _His heartbeat,_ I corrected myself, looking at Skye's belly in trepidation. Cora looked at me in shock, reading my mind and stepped forward, her voice steady as she spoke to her Army.

"Everyone, get back to the castle. If you're injured, raise your hand," she ordered, wincing slightly as about a third of our people raised their hands, some shakier than others. "Skye, you're with me. Jack, help Lex… Lia, you're hurt too," she pointed out, but Lia waved it away dismissively, as though the gaping cut across her chest held no importance. I rushed to Skye's side, waiting for Cora to finish her damage control.

"I've got her," Alec volunteered, bowing dramatically at Lia, who rolled her eyes and leant against the tree, refusing to accept his help. Sending her a glare, he swept her into his arms and my blood boiled, my eyes seeing red. I calmed my Elven hysterics by placing a shaking hand upon the charm that still graced my neck, smiling as I remembered the man that had given it to me. Cora continued to give out orders, and my heart softened at Justin's scratched figure lifting Will's unconscious one into his arms, placing a light kiss upon his brow. Suddenly, the heartbeat grew faint, and I stood up, my hands trembling.

"Cora, Cora we've got to hurry!" I screeched, my voice rising an octave in its sudden hysteria. "It'll be lost if she's not healed. The heartbeat is already weak," I told her pointedly, but Cora merely turned toward Skye and listened intently, nodding in satisfaction before turning back to the masses. My jaw practically hung open at her blatant dismissal of Skye's condition, but Skye drew herself up on one elbow, her face shining red from the effort.

"My heart's fine," she snapped at me, her voice croaky with exhaustion. I shot her a skeptical look and she rolled her eyes, looking at the wound on my leg. "I'm fine," she repeated, her face paling. She began coughing violently and turned her head away from me, spewing what looked like under-digested dinner across the grass. "Okay, so I'm not fine," she admitted, but I waved her off, grounding myself and placing all possible support on my right leg instead of my left.

"Not your heartbeat," I murmured, lifting her frail figure into my arms. My leg shook convulsively, but I wiled it to remain upright, launching myself from my right one into a fast run that had the woods blurring in my vision. "His."

"His?" Skye inquired curiously, although her voice was muffled as her head hung from my elbow, her limbs limp in my grasp. We reached the side of the stone castle and I stopped briefly, my erratic breaths causing a cloud of steam to appear in front of me.

"Now is not the time. You need help," I insisted, crouching so that we were merely several inches form the ground. I told Skye to hold on and jumped up, emitting a loud cry of pain as I landed on the window-frame of the Hospital shakily, my feet barely keeping their balance.

"Cutey, as much as I love you, you're going to make me vomit all over you," Skye groaned, her face green as she glared at me. I stopped in anger and glared right back, my ears feeling as though they were burning.

"You did not just call me that. Help!" I yelled into the empty Hospital Wing, leaning against the metal frame of the bed to support Skye.

"Everyone here… has a nickname…" she explained, but I rolled my eyes, sighing in relief as Madam Pomfrey's figure emerged from a pair of doors on the opposite wall, her eyes drowsy with sleep.

"And mine's Cutey?" I demanded angrily, intent on keeping her distracted for as long as possible. Shaking her head, Madam Pomfrey indicated to a bed beside me and I laid her down gently, careful not to jostle her figure too much.

"My dear, what has happened?" the medi-witch asked me but I shook my head, looking out onto the grounds pointedly.

"Just heal her," I told her firmly, and she glanced at me indignantly, not used to being ordered around by a student. Nevertheless, she began bustling about, looking at the wounds and commenting to herself. "By the way, for calling me Cutey, you're so dead!" I promised Skye, whose eyes blinked sporadically in response, her lungs releasing another bout of racking coughs.

"Cutey… you're one… of… my favourites…and it feels like… I'm already dying…" she stuttered, her voice weakening as I gripped her hand, squeezing it tightly for support.

"Don't you dare!" I heard a familiar, authoritative voice yell, as the slam of Hospital doors caused me to look up. Cora rushed forward, the wounded following in procession behind her. "You are not leaving me!" Her eyes grew white as she placed her hands upon the wound, letting it seal itself, fibre by fibre, below her touch. My skin burnt with jealousy as I watched, wishing with all of my heart that I had been gifted with that most magical of abilities. Skye's spirit grew a tad stronger, but her eyes remained shut firmly, her pulse slightly erratic.

"As I've said, I have no intention of dying," she stated bluntly, the fluttering heartbeat becoming steady once again as she glanced at me from beneath her lashes. "Now, Cutey, this 'his' you were talking about, do enlighten me," she demanded, and I settled into the seat beside her, drowning out the cries of pain that littered the abyss of the Wing.

"I'm guessing you and Draco have fornicated?" I spat, my skin shivering at the remembrance of such an act. _It's over now. He won't hurt you anymore. No one will. _

Suddenly, Skye's eyes flew open and she pushed herself up on her elbows, her eyes wide as she looked at me in shock.

"I'm pregnant?" she asked, her voice evoking clear disbelief and her spirit flashing in shock. I nodded subtly and Alec stepped up, laying a struggling Lia on the bed behind me and gripping my hand in his.

"Well, I'm no expert, but I do believe that's what happens, you know, when…" he started nervously, although I spotted the shadow of a crooked grin forming on his lips. Skye glared at him venomously, and he ceased speaking, his hair falling in front of his eyes.

"Thanks for fixing me up, everyone," she whispered, pointedly avoiding Alec's face as she looked around, disbelief still evident in her eyes. Cora smiled brightly and waved it off, telling her it was fine, before going off to speak with Madam Pomfrey about tonight's sleeping arrangements.

"Don't glare at me! It's true!" Alec shouted, his voice feigning hurt as he refused to remain silent under her glare. I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my lips, and he grinned happily at my reaction, leaving me to hug him tightly against me. Skye continued to glare at him, and he looked right back, his pale eyes shining in amusement.

"Come on, you know you love me," he insisted, his bottom lip sticking out in an adorable pout only he could have been able to pull off. His eyes were on mine as he said this though, and I mouthed my agreement to his sentiments mutely, resting my head against his thin frame.

"Yes, I do love all of you. Except for you. What are you doing here?" she looked towards the door, where a haggard looking Zach was standing, a long sleeved shirt hiding the scars he drew upon his arm. While he was hated by a majority of the CA for what he had done to Lia, who had stiffened upon his arrival, I knew he had deeper reasons. Like all of us, he just needed a friendly ear, and a shoulder to cry on. Yet, he had been offered all of that, and he had thrown it away.

"My sentiments exactly," Will uttered sharply, his voice weak as he sat upon the bed, his body resting against Justin's more muscular one. The latter continued to run his fingers through the blonde's hair absentmindedly, a goofy smile upon his face.

"Calm down, will you Rudeboy?" Skye snapped at him, causing Justin to sit up and send a purple-coloured look of venom her way. "He's cool. Literally. Look at his hands. Frozen."

"He has a name!" Justin objected, but Will just placed a hand on his shoulder, adjusting his spectacles on his nose with a free hand. Skye's thoughts suddenly turned to bacon, and I felt my stomach churning at the thought. Now that I personally knew every single creature from whence my meat came, I could not imagine ever enjoying such a meal ever again. Amber would be delighted.

"What?" Skye demanded of Lia, who was looking at Skye as though afraid for her sanity. "Wolfish tendencies, you know." The Empress turned back to Justin, a passive look crossing her face as she began explaining Will's nickname. "I know you all have names. I just prefer the nicknames I fashioned."

"Ignore him. He's overprotective," Will said dismissively, grinning widely at his boyfriend's disbelieving face. Skye shook her head at their antics and turned herself to Zach, whose eyes were trained on the ground, his head hung.

"Zachary?" she sneered, her voice and expression growing akin to that of Snape's when he berated me for misbrewing another potion. "Spill it," she demanded, and Lia's head cocked to the side, indicating that she was listening to their conversation.

"It's… her. She knows how to do it!" he struggled to say, wincing obviously as he did. My eyes went immediately to his hands, but they bore no sign of the black ink that had stained Rhain's hands previously. Rather, the way he struggled with himself to deliver the message was eerily similar to how Aidan spoke when refusing our offers for help.

"Do what?" Skye inquired, and Cora gasped audibly, her face blanching as she beat us to the punch, reading Zach's mind. She sat down on a bed and buried her head in her hands, trembling slightly as Zach turned back to us.

"She knows how to split the worlds," he admitted, and I rolled my eyes, memories shifting back to Rhain's thoughts during the battle. Oddly enough, I felt as though I could still hear him speaking to me now, from the depths of the earth.

"Rhain's thoughts said as much," I commented, and Alec's grip tightened substantially, his skin cooling even in the warm atmosphere of the Wing. Cora shot me a hurt look, clearly wounded that I had not told her earlier of such a groundbreaking event. "But you and I both know that's not what Skye meant."

Lia flinched at my words and clenched her hands into fists, a guilty look crossing her face as she glanced at the notebook that lay beside her. Everyone's eyes were passing from Zach to Lia, waiting for one to break the string of palatable tension in the room.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice hitching as he looked at Lia, his dark eyes glimmering with unknown emotion. "But I had no choice."

Immediately, Lia's face grew icy again, and my blood boiled at his lame excuse. Alec must have sensed as much, as he gave my hand a light, reassuring squeeze. Cora, who normally seemed incapable of hate, gave Zach a withering glare that would have made anyone cringe. She thought of Lia as a sister, and she was intensely protective of all of us. I could not count the number of times she had berated me for being too skinny, or drinking too much coffee, or not focusing enough on my studies.

"So, you're not only spineless, but you're also a liar?" Skye deduced, a frown marring her haggard, yet still beautiful face. Zach's face darkened and he took a step into the room, the torches burning brighter as his powers blazed around him. I gasped silently as I realised I could see the cloud of energy that surrounded him, a bright blazing aurora that surrounded his figure. As I blinked, the light disappeared and I shook my head lightly, thinking I had imagined it all.

"I didn't come here to be judged, Empress. I came to warn all of you," he spat coldly, looking disdainfully at the wounded that had resulted from the battle. Upon hearing his words, Lia's face was set with a stony determination and she turned around, her chilly eyes flashing with anger. Again, a bright flash of light green emanated from her body as she shot a shield into the wall, leaving a small dent in the stone wall about five feet from where he was standing.

"How dare you? Stay the vok away from us!" she practically screamed, shifting back into Afrikaans as she was wont to do when under great stress. The tears swam again in her eyes as her conflicting emotions oscillated her heart sharply, her hands shaking slightly as she looked him in the eye.

"Calm down. I already gave you a piece of my mind. And a piece of… something else. But you need to hear it," Skye told her, her voice soothing as she attempted to soothe Lia's fiery anger. Lia ignored her and walked to him in silence, her hands lying limps to her sides as she looked into his eyes, as though looking for a deeper truth. Her cheeks bore tear tracks, yet she continued boring into his soul, her face a mask of pure hope.

"Don't do this, Lia. Leave me alone," he murmured bitterly, causing Lia to close her eyes and step away, the pain on her face as evident as the healing gash on her arm. I saw his spirit flare oddly then, and I realised he didn't truly mean what he was telling her. But I couldn't blame Lia, who I knew was aware of his trickery, for ostracising him as she did. After all, she had never felt at home anywhere but with him, and he had blamed her for all of his problems. He scowled at her and looked away, stepping away from his love's figure. "Goodbye."

The silence in the room was deafening as the doors swung shut behind him. Lia swallowed heavily and walked to the bed beside Skye, ignoring the inquisitive looks surrounding her as she curled up under the blanket, her eyes wide open in thought.

"Coward," Skye spat, sending Lia a reassuring smile that the latter ignored, closing her eyes and letting sleep overtake her, an arm wrapped around her sketchpad protectively.

"So… what happened while I was off… well, being busy?" the Empress inquired, fighting the blanket that surrounded her so that she could sit up. Cora smiled at her childlike antics, and I felt Alec yawn widely next to me, not bothering to cover his mouth as would be polite. Around us, people were settling in for the night, fatigue winning over their curiosity about the goings-on of their leaders. Will settled in against Justin's broad chest, causing the latter to roll his eyes and pat his boyfriend on the head, a smile on his lips.

"Skye, you both need rest," I told her carefully, helping Cora push her back onto the bed, arranging the covers absentmindedly so that she would remain warm. Her face brightened somewhat at the tender treatment, and she settled back against the pillow, sighing in dejection."We'll talk in the morning," I vowed and she nodded, turning onto her side and making herself comfortable.

"Night, all." She waved a hand into the air dismissively, and Cora smiled at me, pulling me in for a quick hug before settling into the bed next to Lia, as all other beds had been taken, save for the one behind me.

I turned to Alec and smiled mischievously at the nervous look on his face.

"Come on, silly. Let's hit the sack," I mumbled sleepily, and he raised an eyebrow at my nonchalant expression. Rolling my eyes, I laid on the bed and patted the mattress beside me expectantly, giving him a look that clearly told him to just shut up. After several seconds, he gave in and laid himself beside me, his arm wrapping around my frame, pulling me closer to him. I turned to him and gave him a quick peck, pulling away as he tried to deepen the kiss. "No funny business, Carmicheal. Or I'll hex off something important," I threatened and he rolled his eyes at my antics.

"Shut up and go to sleep, love," he yawned, closing his eyes and relaxing his body as he entered a peaceful slumber. Smiling to myself, I cuddled into his arms and sighed, content with a night of peace before the lines of my destiny became too clear.

**A/N: So, how'd I do? And aren't they adorable? In any case, did Rhain get as he deserved? I absolutely adored writing the battle scene, but it hurts to hurt people! Even if they're mean! Any guesses as to what the Voice is? Now, for a brief lesson on my perception of Elves, to anyone who is wondering. They are not porcelain creatures, rather bloodthirsty and vicious beings with excessive hubris that can be fatal. And yes, Rhain was a member of the Morte Noire. Cora's debilitated state was a result of the attempt to split the worlds, as her spirit is interwoven directly with magic, which is the substance that connects all worlds. Back to the Elves. After Transformation occurs, the destiny of an Elf is actually tattooed onto their main forearm, varying dramatically from person to person. If an Elf does not follow that path, they die, and that is why Aves is so distraught. That's about it. Please leave me a review, flame or hug or whatever lies in between. And, for those of you who have not already done so, please PM me if you wish to create a foreign character to join the CA. I have had 4 submissions already, and they're all pretty epic. **


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